Sūrah S@āffāt

Central Theme and Relationship with the Previous Sūrah

This sūrah forms a pair with Sūrah Yāsīn, the previous sūrah. There is
no basic difference between the central themes of the two sūrahs. Just as
the principle topics of monotheism, prophethood and the hereafter are
discussed in the previous sūrahs of this group, they are also discussed in
this particular sūrah; however, the nature of arguments and sequence of
the discourse are different. Monotheism which is the soul to the body of
this whole group is also evident in this sūrah. Yet, in this sūrah, a
specific aspect of monotheism – refutation of divinity imputed to angels
– is taken up in detail. The events of the Day of Judgement are
mentioned in this sūrah in such a way that the mutual row between the
masses and the leaders of the Idolaters is highlighted. The history of the
prophets is also concisely mentioned in this sūrah. This history shows
that nations which denied their messengers were destroyed by the
Almighty; only the messengers and their followers were successful.

Analysis of the Discourse

Verses (1-10): Angels remain in the presence of the Almighty to always
obey His directives and fervently praise and extol Him. Through their
very deeds, they bear witness that they are very obedient to God and are
not His associates, as certain foolish people think. Only the angels have
proximity to God. The jinn and devils do not have access to the High
Realm (Mala’ A‘lā). If they try to overhear the secrets of this realm,
angels push them away and shooting stars pursue them; hence they are
not able to eavesdrop on these secrets. Those who regard the jinn and the
devils to be a means of divulging these secrets are not aware of the
exalted status of God.
Verses (11-39): People who were making fun of the Hereafter are
admonished. What will befall them and their leaders on the Day of
Judgement is portrayed. The purpose of this is to assure the Prophet
(sws) so that he should ignore their arrogant behaviour; a day is about to
come when their masses will curse their leaders for stopping them from
following the Prophet of God; in response, the leaders will rebuke their
followers that they themselves are to blame for denying the truth after it
Sūrah S@āffāt 2
had become evident to them.
Verses (40-61): A description of the reward of the believers who in spite
of the efforts of their companions and leaders who wanted to lead them
astray continued to support a messenger of God. Certain aspects of the
eternal bliss they shall attain on the Day of Judgement are referred to.
Verses (62-70): The fate of those who in their frenzy of blindly followed
their forefathers opposed a messenger of God and his practice is alluded
to.
Verses (71-148): Historical evidence is provided on the fact that nations
which denied their respective messengers after these messengers had
warned them were destroyed; only those people survived who followed
their messenger. The blessing and mercy of God is reserved for the
messengers of God and those who follow them.
Verses (149-182): In this concluding section, the discourse coherently
returns to the opening topic of the sūrah: through the tongue of Gabriel,
witness is borne to the fact that the fraternity of the angels continue to
follow the directives of God with fervour and remain fervently busy in
praising and extolling Him, and that angels are obedient servants of God
and not His associates or partners. At the end, Muh~ammad (sws) is
assured that God’s help and dominance over his opponents are reserved
for him and his followers; these opponents are destined to lose. They are
the ones who at first waited for the arrival of God’s messenger; yet when
he came, they started to vehemently oppose him because of jealousy and
arrogance. He should ignore them and keep doing his job while
exercising restraint. Success is destined for the messengers of God alone.

Section I: Verses (1-10)

‫ﺴﻢ اﷲ ا ﺮ ﻦ ا ﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬
ٌ ََ ْ ُ ََ
1 َ (.) ‫ﻮاﺣﺪ‬ ً ْ ِ ‫ﺎت‬#‫ﺎ‬$‫ﻓﺎ‬ َ ً ْ َ ‫ﺰاﺟﺮات‬ َ َ َ ‫َوا‬
‫رب‬ ِ ‫( ِإن إِ ﻬ(ﻢ‬%) ‫ذﻛﺮا‬ ِ َِ ( ) ‫زﺟﺮا‬ ِ ِ ‫ﺼﺎﻓﺎت ﺻﻔﺎ ) ( ﻓﺎ‬ ِ
َ
‫ﺑﺰ?ﻨﺔ‬ َْ1 َ َ َ َْ 1 َ َ َ ََُْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ‫ﺴﻤﺎوات‬ َ َ ‫ا‬
ٍ ِ ِ ‫ﻤﺸﺎرق );( ِإﻧﺎ ز?ﻨﺎ ا ﺴﻤﺎء ا=<ﻴﺎ‬ ِ ِ ‫ا‬ ‫ورب‬ ‫ﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬6‫ﺑ‬ ‫وﻣﺎ‬ ‫واﻷرض‬
ِ ِ
َ ُ َ َُْ َْ َْ َ َْ َ َ ُ َ َ َْ َ J Lُ L ً ْ َ ََ ْ
‫و?ﻘﺬﻓﻮن‬ P‫ﻤﻺ اﻷ‬ ِ ‫ ا‬R‫ﺴﻤﻌﻮن ِإ‬T ‫( ﻻ‬M) ‫ﻣﺎرد‬ ٍ ِ ‫ﺷﻴﻄﺎن‬ٍ ‫وﺣﻔﻈﺎ ﻣﻦ‬ ِ (F) ‫اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ‬ ِ ِ
ُ َ َ ْ َ َ ‫ا]ﻄﻔﺔ‬
‫ﻓﺄ[ﺒﻌﻪ‬
َ َ ْ َْ
‫ﺧﻄﻒ‬
َ َ ْ َ ٌ َ ‫ﻋﺬاب‬ ٌ َ َ ‫ﻬﻢ‬ ْ ُ َ ‫دﺣﻮرا َو‬
ً ُ ُ (V) ‫ َﺟﺎﻧﺐ‬J Lُ
ِ ‫( ِإﻻ ﻣﻦ‬X) ‫واﺻﺐ‬ ِ ٍ ِ ‫ِﻣﻦ‬
ٌ َ ‫ﺷﻬﺎب‬
( b) ‫ﺛﺎﻗﺐ‬ ٌ َ
ِ ِ
Angels who range themselves in ranks and remain present bear
witness; then admonish [devils] and remember [God] that your God is
Sūrah S@āffāt 3
one. He alone is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that lies
between them, and He alone is the Lord of the Eastern borders. (1-5)
Indeed, We have decked the lower heaven with the adornment of stars
and have fully protected it from the incursion of all rebellious devils.
And they are not able to overhear from the High Realm and they are
pushed from all sides, to drive them away and for them is an eternal
torment except that if someone suddenly eavesdrops on something a
dazzling flame pursues him. (6-10)

Explanation
1
( ) ‫ﺼﺎﻓﺎت َﺻﻔﺎ‬
ِ ‫َوا‬
The particle ‫ َو‬denotes an oath. The oaths sworn by the Almighty in the
Qur’ān are not meant to venerate the object by which the oaths are
sworn; they are meant to substantiate a claim. My mentor Imām H@amīd
al-Dīn al-Farāhī has dealt in detail on this issue in his book al-Im‘ān fī
Aqsām al-Qur’ān. I have translated this Arabic work into Urdu. Those
interested may look it up. In the light of this denotation of the particle ‫َو‬,
if the verse is translated as “angels who range themselves in ranks and
remain present bear witness,” then it will truly portray the meaning of
the oath.
The word ‫ـﺼﺎﻓﺎت‬
ِ ‫ ا‬occurs here as an attribute of the angels, and this is
evident from a ْ succeeding verse of this sūrah through the tongue of
َ ُ L َ ُ ُ ْ ََ َ َ 1 ُ ْ ََ َ ٌ ُ ْ ٌ َ َ َُ ََ
Gabriel: ‫ﺤـﻦ ا ﻤـﺴﺒﺤﻮن‬e ‫ﻧـﺎ‬f‫و‬ِ ‫ﺤﻦ ا ـﺼﺎﻓﻮن‬e ‫ﻧﺎ‬f‫و‬ ِ ‫ ﻣﻘﺎم ﻣﻌﻠﻮم‬i ‫ وﻣﺎ ِﻣﻨﺎ ِإﻻ‬-١٦٤ :٣٧ )
(١٦٦ (And for each of us is an appointed place and We stand arrayed
before God. And We glorify Him. (37:164-166))
It is evident from concomitant indications that those angels are referred
to here that belong to the High Realm and stand arrayed in ranks around
the throne of the Almighty. In Sūrah Zumar, ْ they are mentionedَ ْin the
ْ َ َ ُ L َ ُ ْ َ ‫ﺣﻮل‬
ْ L َ ‫ﻤـﺪ‬k
following words: (M; :%X) ‫ﻬـﻢ‬j‫ر‬ َْ ْ َ L َ ََ َ َََ
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﺴﺒﺤﻮن‬T ‫اﻟﻌﺮش‬ ِ ِ ‫ ِﻣﻦ‬n‫ﻤﻼﺋ(ﺔ ﺣﺎﻓ‬ ِ ‫وﺗﺮى ا‬
(And you shall see the angels encircling the throne of God, giving glory
to their Lord while expressing praise for Him. (39:75))

ً ْ َ ‫ﺰاﺟﺮات‬
َ َ
2
( ) ‫زﺟﺮا‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻓﺎ‬
The word ‫ زﺟﺮ‬means “to scold and drive away someone”. It refers to
another attribute of these angels: if the devils try to access the High
Realm they are driven away. The details of the arrangement made by the

1. Angels who range themselves in ranks.

2. And remain present, bear witness.
Sūrah S@āffāt 4
Almighty to prevent the devils from accessing the High Realm are
coming up in the succeeding verses.

ً ْ ِ ‫ﺎت‬#‫ﺎ‬$‫ﻓﺎ‬
َ
(%) ‫ذﻛﺮا‬ ِ َِ
3

This is the third attribute of the angels. These words refer precisely to
ْ L َ ‫ﻤﺪ‬k َْ َ ُ L َُ
the same thing as the one referred to by the words ‫ﻬﻢ‬j‫ر‬ َِ ُ L ِ َ ُ ْ ِ ُ‫ﺴﺒﺤﻮن‬T of
ْ ََ َ
Sūrah Zumar cited earlier and by the words: ( F. :%X) ‫ﺤﻦ ا ﻤﺴﺒﺤﻮن‬e ‫ﻧﺎ‬f‫و‬ ِ of
this very sūrah. In other words, the angels praise and extol the Almighty.
Here a principle of the Arabic languageَ must be kept in mind: when
attributes are conjugated by the particle ‫ ف‬as is the case here it signifies
two things: firstly, all these attributes belong to a single entity; for this
reason, the opinion of those who have regarded these attributes to belong
to different entities is, in my opinion, linguistically incorrect; secondly,
there occurs a gradual sequence in these attributes. According to my
interpretation, it is evident that all these attributes belong to a single
entity: the angels. It is also evident that there exits a sequence in these
attributes the way it exists in our prayers. Just as we stand arrayed before
God, seek refuge from Satan and then praise and extol God, in the same
manner, angels too stand arrayed around the throne of the Almighty, then
they rebuke Satan and after that praise and extol God.
ٌ ََ ْ ُ ََ
4
(.) ‫ﻮاﺣﺪ‬
ِ ‫ِإن إِ ﻬ(ﻢ‬
This verse forms the complement of oath (muqsam ‘alayh). After
presenting this worship and praising and extolling of the angels as
witness, it is said: Your God is One. It is evident from this that extremely
foolish are those who have made angels associates of God by regarding
them as His daughters and are worshipping them hoping to receive their
intercession. The actions of the angels openly negate these naïve people:
these angels continue to worship God and praise and extol him, while
these naïve people worship these angels by regarding them to be God’s
partners.
َ َْ 1 َ َ َ ََُْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ 1 َ
َ َ ‫رب ا‬
5
(;) ‫ﻤﺸﺎرق‬
ِ ِ ‫ﻨﻬﻤﺎ ورب ا‬6‫واﻷرض وﻣﺎ ﺑ‬
ِ ‫ﺴﻤﺎوات‬
ِ
This is the second enunciative (khabar) after the first. The implication

3. Then admonish [devils].

4. And remember [God] that your God is one.
5. He alone is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between
them, and He alone is the Lord of the Eastern borders.
Sūrah S@āffāt 5
is that it is God the one and alone who is the Lord of the heavens and the
earth and all that lies between them and He alone is the master of all the
east and the west. In other words, no one should misconstrue that God has
delegated the administration of the far off areas of His unfathomable
dominion to His partners. He is not dependent on anyone for help. He
alone is the master of every nook and corner of His universe and directly
administers them. If there is any role of the angels in this universe it is not
because they are God’s partners; they are His obedient ambassadors and
workers. Whatever they do is in compliance with the directives of God.
َ َ
The plural ‫ﺸﺎرق‬u
ِ refers to the vastness of the east. In Sūrah A‘raf while
ْ
explaining the word ‫أﻋﺮاف‬, I have explained that at times plurals of a
َ َ ََ
word indicate their vastness and enormity. The words ‫ﺸﺎرق‬u ِ and ‫ﻣﻐﺎرب‬
occur in the Qur’ān in this very sense. Similarly, when the purpose is to
point to both sides of a thing, then at times the dual is used. Thus the
َْ ْ َ َْ ْ َ
words nxyu ِ and nj‫ﻣﻐﺮ‬
ِ are also used in the Qur’ān (55:17).
ْ َ َْ 1 َ َ َْ 1 َ
There is a suppression of the words ‫ﻐﺎرب‬ ِ ‫ رب ا ﻤ‬after ‫ﻤﺸﺎرق‬ ِ ِ ‫ رب ا‬on
account of contextual indications because the West is subsumed under the
East [as the sun rises from the East and gradually lights up the West];
when what is primary is mentioned, the secondary is understood to be
subsumed under it. At some instances, theَ suppression is ْ expressedُ in
َ ُ َ َ َْ َ َ َ L َ ُ ْ ََ
words as well, as for example: (.b :Mb) ‫ﻟﻘﺎدرون‬ ِ ‫ﻤﻐﺎرب ِإﻧﺎ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﻤﺸﺎرق وا‬
ِ ِ ‫أﻗﺴﻢ ِﺑﺮب ا‬
ِ ‫ﻓﻼ‬
(Nay! I swear by the Lord who is the Master of all the vastness of the
East and the West that We are powerful, (70-40)). Another reason for
َ َ
specifically mentioning the ‫ﺸﺎرق‬u ِ could be that polytheists have
worshipped the sun the most and the sun rises from the east.

(M) ‫ﻣﺎرد‬
ٍ ِ ‫ﺷﻴﻄﺎن‬
Lُ L ً ْ َ
َْ َ J ‫وﺣﻔﻈﺎ ﻣﻦ‬ َ َ ْ ‫ﺑﺰ?ﻨﺔ‬
َ َْ 1 َ َ
6
ٍ ِ (F) ‫اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ‬
ِ ِ ٍ ِ ِ ‫ِإﻧﺎ ز?ﻨﺎ ا ﺴﻤﺎء ا=<ﻴﺎ‬
In the preceding verses, it is mentioned that the naïve have regarded
the angels to be God while the actual situation is that in the High Realm
they continue to stand arrayed before God and remain busy in praising
and extolling him. Now in these succeeding verses, it is mentioned that
the naïve think that the devils have access to the High Realm from where
they can eavesdrop on the news of the unknown world. Thus on this very
expectation are they worshipped since they are a means to know such
secrets. The fact of the matter is that no one has access to the High
Realm. If a mischievous jinn tries to go near it, he is bombarded by a
shower of meteors.

6. Indeed, We have decked the lower heavens with the adornment of stars and
have fully protected it from the incursion of all rebellious devils.
Sūrah S@āffāt 6
The word ‫ﺣﻔﻈﺎ‬
ً ْ is a verbal noun of a suppressed verb meant to
ِ ًْ َ َ ْ َ
emphasize it. Thus, the actual construction is: ‫ﺣﻔﻈﺎ‬ِ ‫ﺣﻔﻈﻨﺎﻫﺎ‬
ِ . Hence a
precise translation would be: We fully protected the heavens from the
incursions of the devils. It is evident from the verses under discussion
that on the one hand stars are an embellishment for the lowest heaven
and on the other these very stars are used by the Almighty to check the
devils from accessing the High Realm. This subject is discussed in the
َ َْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َْ 1 َ ْ َََ
َ ‫وﻟﻘﺪ‬
Qur’ān in various styles. For example: ‫وﺟﻌﻠﻨﺎﻫﺎ‬ ‫ﺑﻤﺼﺎ|ﻴﺢ‬
ِ ِ ‫ا=<ﻴﺎ‬ ‫ﺴﻤﺎء‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ز?ﻨﺎ‬
َ L ‫رﺟﻮﻣﺎ‬
(; :FM) n‫ﻟﻠﺸﻴﺎﻃ‬ ً ُ ُ (And We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps
ِ ِ
and made them a means for bombardment on the devils, (67:5)). At
َ َ ْ َ َ َ
‫وﺣﻔﻈﻨﺎﻫﺎ‬ ‫ﻠﻨﺎﻇﺮ?ﻦ‬
َ َ َ ً ُُ َ
‫وز?ﻨﺎﻫﺎ‬ ‫ﺑﺮوﺟﺎ‬ ‫ﺴﻤﺎء‬ ‫ا‬ • َ ْ َ َ ‫وﻟﻘﺪ‬
‫ﺟﻌﻠﻨﺎ‬
ْ َََ
ِ ِ ِ ِ
ُ َ َ ْ َ َ ‫ﺴﻤﻊ‬
another instance, it is said:
ٌ 1 ‫ﺷﻬﺎب‬
ٌ َ ‫ﻓﺄ[ﺒﻌﻪ‬ َ ََ ْ َِ
َ ْ ‫اﺳ•ق ا‬ َْ َ J Lُ
( V- F : ;) n‫ﻣﺒ‬ِ ِ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ِ ‫إﻻ‬ِ ‫رﺟﻴﻢ‬
ٍ ِ ‫ﺷﻴﻄﺎن‬
ٍ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ِ (And indeed,
We have made posts in the sky and decked it with stars for the beholders
and protected it from every accursed devil. And if anyone tries to
covertly overhear the secrets of the High Realm, then he is pursued by a
dazzling star. (15:16-18))

ْ ُ َ ‫دﺣﻮرا َو‬
ٌ َ َ ‫ﻬﻢ‬
ٌ َ ‫ﻋﺬاب‬ Lُ
ً ُ ُ (V) ‫ َﺟﺎﻧﺐ‬J َ ُ َ َُْ َْ َ ْ َ َْ َ َ ُ َ َ
7
(X) ‫واﺻﺐ‬
ِ ٍ ِ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ِ ‫و?ﻘﺬﻓﻮن‬ P‫ﻤﻺ اﻷ‬ ِ ‫ ا‬R‫ﺴﻤﻌﻮن ِإ‬T ‫ﻻ‬
َ ُ َ َ
The negation of the verb in ‫ﺴﻤﻌﻮن‬T ‫ ﻻ‬is meant to negate the purpose of
the verb. In other words, the devils try to overhear the secrets of the High
Realm but they are not able to even to do so. Whenever they try to do it,
ً ُ ُ means “to drive away” and
they are pelted from all sides. The word ‫دﺣﻮرا‬
ٌ َ means “eternal”. In other words, they
“to repulse”, and the word ‫واﺻﺐ‬ ِ
shall be accursed in this world in the manner just mentioned and in the
Hereafter they will face eternal punishment.

ٌ َ ‫ﺷﻬﺎب‬
( b) ‫ﺛﺎﻗﺐ‬ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ ‫ا]ﻄﻔﺔ‬
ٌ َ ‫ﻓﺄ[ﺒﻌﻪ‬ َ َ ْ َْ َ َ ْ َ
‫ﺧﻄﻒ‬
ِ ِ ‫ِإﻻ ﻣﻦ‬
8
ِ
What is implied by this verse is that after this secure arrangement to
repel these devils there is no chance that they have access to the High
Realm or its secrets. What a mischievous devil can do is that he can try
to snatch some part of them. To stop such incursions also a shinning star
pursues them from the forts of the heavens.
It is evident from all these details that neither are angels partners of
God in any sense nor do devils have any access to the High Realm from
where they can find out some information. Hence those who worship

7. And they are not able to over hear from the High realm and they are
pushed from all sides, to drive them away and for them is an eternal torment
except that if someone suddenly
8. Eavesdrops on something a dazzling flame pursues him.
Sūrah S@āffāt 7
angels by regarding them to be the favoured daughters of God are foolish
and those who try to come into contact with the jinn by regarding them
to be a means of procuring the secrets of God are also foolish. It may be
kept in mind that the basis of polytheism and soothsaying of the Arabs
was based on these two concepts. The Qur’ān by explaining the reality
behind angels and the jinn has uprooted both these bases.

Section II: Verses (11-74)

Coming up are the details of the events of the Day of Judgement. The
purpose is to bring to the fore the fate of the deities as well as of those
who are worshipping these deities while leaving aside God. The way the
leaders of the Idolaters and their followers will mutually curse one
another, and the manner in which the believers adhered to the beliefs of
monotheism and the Hereafter in spite of all the opposition are depicted.
Readers may not proceed to study these verses.

َ ْ َ ‫ﺑﻞ‬ َْ L ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎﻫﻢ‬ ُ ََْ َ ََْ َ ْ َ ًْ َ 1 ََ ْ َُ ْ َْ ْ َ

‫ﻋﺠﺒﺖ‬ ِ ( ) ‫ﻻزب‬ٍ ِ ٍ n‫ﻃ‬ ِ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫إﻧﺎ‬ِ ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ‬ ‫ﻓﺎﺳﺘﻔﺘﻬﻢ أﻫﻢ أﺷﺪ ﺧﻠﻘﺎ أم ﻣﻦ‬ ِِ
ُ ًَ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َْ ُ َ L َ َ
ْ
‫ ( َوﻗﺎ ﻮا ِإن‬.) ‫ﺴﺨ ُﺮون‬Š‫ﺴ‬T
َ َ
ِ
ْ َ ْ َ ‫آﻳﺔ‬ ‫ذا رأوا‬f‫و‬ ( %) ‫ﻳﺬﻛﺮون‬ ‫ذﻛﺮوا ﻻ‬ ُ ُ ‫ذا‬f‫و‬ ( ) ‫ﺴﺨﺮون‬T‫و‬
َ ُ َ ََْ
ِ ِ
َ ُ َْ َُ َ ََ َ ُ ََُْ َ ً َ َ ً َُ َُ َْ َ َ ٌ 1 ‫ﺳﺤﺮ‬ ٌ ْ ِ ‫ﻫﺬا إﻻ‬ َ َ
‫أوآﺑﺎؤﻧﺎ اﻷو ﻮن‬ ( F) ‫ﻤﺒﻌﻮﺛﻮن‬ ‫وﻋﻈﺎﻣﺎ ِأﺋﻨﺎ‬ ِ ‫ﻨﺎ ﺗﺮاﺑﺎ‬Œ‫ ); ( ِأﺋﺬا ِﻣﺘﻨﺎ و‬n‫ﻣﺒ‬ ِ ِ
َ‫وﻗﺎ ُﻮا ﻳﺎ‬ ََ َ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ ٌَ َ ٌَْ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ ََ ْ َ َ ُْ
( X) ‫ﻓﺈذا ﻫﻢ ﻳﻨﻈﺮون‬ ِ ‫واﺣﺪة‬ ِ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻤﺎ ِ• زﺟﺮة‬ ِ ( V) ‫داﺧﺮون‬ ِ ‫ ( ﻗﻞ <ﻌﻢ وأﻧﺘﻢ‬M)
َ ِ ‫وا‬y‫اﺣ‬ ُ ُ ْ ( ) ‫ﺗ(ﺬﺑﻮن‬ َ ُ َ ُ ُْ L ُ ْ َ ْ َ
ُ ْ َ ‫ ( َﻫﺬا‬b) ‫ا=ﻳﻦ‬ L ‫ﻳﻮم‬ ُ ْ َ ‫ﻫﺬا‬ َ َ َََْ
‫ا’ﻳﻦ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬
ِ ِ ‫ا’ي ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬ ِ ‫اﻟﻔﺼﻞ‬ ِ ‫ﻳﻮم‬ ِ ‫و?ﻠﻨﺎ‬
ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َ َُُْ ُ َ ََ ْ َُ َْ َ َُ َ َ
‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬ ِ ِ َ ‫—اط‬ ِ َ ِ R‫اﷲ ﻓﺎﻫﺪوﻫﻢ ِإ‬ ِ ‫دون‬ ِ ‫ﻇﻠﻤﻮا وأزواﺟﻬﻢ وﻣﺎ ”ﻧﻮا “ﻌﺒﺪون ) ( ِﻣﻦ‬
َ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َْْ ُ ُ َْ َ ُ َ ََ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ ُ ‫وﻗﻔﻮﻫﻢ‬ ْ ُ ُ َ ( %)
‫ﺴﻠﻤﻮن‬Š‫ﺴ‬u ِ ‫ﻮم‬#‫[ﻨﺎ—ون ); ( ﺑﻞ ﻫﻢ ا‬ ‫ ( ﻣﺎ ﻟ(ﻢ ﻻ‬.) ‫ﻣﺴﺌﻮ ﻮن‬ ‫إ<ﻬﻢ‬ ِ ِ
َْ َ َ َ َُْ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ َ ُ َ ََ ْ َ ََ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ ََََْ
n‫ﻤ‬#‫ا‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻦ‬ ِ ‫ ( ﻗﺎ ﻮا ِإﻧ(ﻢ ﻛﻨﺘﻢ ﺗﺄﺗﻮ<ﻨﺎ‬M) ‫ﺴﺎء ﻮن‬Š‫|ﻌﺾ ﻳ‬ ٍ P ‫ﺒﻞ |ﻌﻀﻬﻢ‬x‫ ( وأ‬F)
ً ْ َ ‫ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬ ْ ُ ُ ‫ﺑﻞ‬ َْ َْ ُ L ُ َْ َ ََ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ ‫ﺗ(ﻮ ُﻧﻮا‬ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َ
‫ﻗﻮﻣﺎ‬ ‫ﺳﻠﻄﺎن‬
ٍ ‫ﺎ ﻋﻠﻴ(ﻢ ﻣﻦ‬e ‫ ( وﻣﺎ ”ن‬X) n‫ﺆﻣﻨ‬u ِِ ‫ ( ﻗﺎ ﻮا ﺑﻞ ﻟﻢ‬V)
َ َ ‫ﻢ إﻧﺎ ُﻛﻨﺎ‬Ÿ‫ﻓﺄﻏﻮ?ﻨﺎ‬ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ (% ) ‫’اﺋﻘﻮن‬َ َ ُ َ َ َLَ َُْ ََْ َ َ َ َ َ
(% ) ‫و?ﻦ‬ž ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻨﺎ ِإﻧﺎ‬j‫( ﻓﺤﻖ ﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ ﻗﻮل ر‬%b) nœ‫ﻃﺎ‬ ِ
ُ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫<ﻔﻌﻞ ﺑﺎ‬ ََُْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َْ ْ ُ َ
َ ْ َ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻬﻢ‬
‫إ<ﻬﻢ ”ﻧﻮا‬ ِ ( %. ) n‫ﻤﺠﺮﻣ‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻚ‬ ِ ‫ﻛﺬ‬ ‫إﻧﺎ‬ ِ ( %% ) ‫ﻮن‬Œ•‫ﺸ‬u ِ ‫اﻟﻌﺬاب‬
ِ •ِ ‫ﻳﻮﻣﺌﺬ‬ٍِ ِ
ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ََ َ َ ُ ََُ َ ُ ْ َ َْ ُ َ َ َ ْ َُ َ َ
‫ﻨﻮن‬£ ٍ ‫ﺸﺎﻋﺮ‬
ٍ ِ ِ َ ‫ﻬﺘﻨﺎ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻮا آ‬Œ‫ﺎر‬$ ِ ‫( و?ﻘﻮ ﻮن ِأﺋﻨﺎ‬%;) ‫ون‬¢‫ﺴﺘﻜ‬T ِ ‫ ِإﻻ اﷲ‬i‫ﻴﻞ ﻬﻢ ﻻ ِإ‬xِ ‫ِإذا‬
َ َ (%V) ‫ﻢ‬#‫اﻟﻌﺬاب اﻷ‬ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ L َْ ْ
‫وﻣﺎ‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫’اﺋﻘﻮ‬ِ ‫( ِإﻧ(ﻢ‬%M) n‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‬
َ َ ْ ُ ‫وﺻﺪق ا‬
ِ ‫ﻖ‬¤‫( َﺑﻞ َﺟﺎء ِﺑﺎ‬%F)
Sūrah S@āffāt 8
ٌ ُ ْ ‫رزق‬ ٌ ْ ْ َُ َ َْ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎد اﷲ ا‬ َ َ َ ََُْ ُْ ُ َ َ ْ َُْ
‫ﻣﻌﻠﻮم‬ ِ ‫أو¦ﻚ ﻬﻢ‬ ِ (.b) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫( ِإﻻ‬%X) ‫ﺰون ِإﻻ ﻣﺎ ﻛﻨﺘﻢ [ﻌﻤﻠﻮن‬¥
ُ َُ َ َ َ 1 ‫§ر‬ ُ ُ P ََ َ • (. ) ‫ﻮن‬u‫ﻣﻜﺮ‬ َ ُ َْ 1 َُ ُ ََ
‫“ﻄﺎف‬ (..) n‫ﻣﺘﻘﺎﺑﻠ‬ ِِ ٍ (.%) ‫ﻌﻴﻢ‬e‫ا‬ ِ ِ ‫ﺟﻨﺎت‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻓﻮاﻛﻪ وﻫﻢ‬ ِ (. )
َ ْ َ ‫ﻫﻢ‬ ْ ُ ‫ﻏﻮل َوﻻ‬ َ ٌَْ َ َ L َ ْ َ َْ َ
‫©ﻨﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﻴﻬﺎ‬ªِ ‫( ﻻ‬.F) nj‫ﻟﻠﺸﺎر‬ َ ‫’ة‬
ٍ ‫|ﻴﻀﺎء‬ َ َ ْ َ (.;) n‫ﻣﻌ‬
ِ ِ ٍ ِ ‫ﺑ(ﺄس ِﻣﻦ‬ ٍ ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬
ِ
ََََْ ٌ ُْ ٌ َْ ُ ََ ٌ ‫اﻟﻄﺮف‬ ْ ُ َ َ ‫وﻋﻨﺪﻫﻢ‬ ْ ُ َ ْ َ (.M) ‫ﻳ«ﻓﻮن‬ َ َُ ُ
‫ﺒﻞ‬x‫ﻓﺄ‬ (.X) ‫ﻣﻜﻨﻮن‬ ‫|ﻴﺾ‬ ‫( ﻛ¬<ﻬﻦ‬.V) n© ِ ِ ‫ﻗﺎ—ات‬ ِ ِ
ْ َ ‫أﺋﻨﻚ‬ َ َ ُ َُ ٌ َ - ‫”ن‬ َ َ L ْ ُْL ٌ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ََ َْ ََ ْ ُ ُ َْ
‫ﻤﻦ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻗﺮ?ﻦ ) ;( “ﻘﻮل‬ ِ ِ ®‫إ‬ ِ ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻢ‬ ‫ﻗﺎﺋﻞ‬ ِ ‫ﻗﺎل‬ ( ;b ) ‫ﻮن‬ ‫ﺴﺎء‬Š‫|ﻌﺾ ﻳ‬ ٍ P ‫|ﻌﻀﻬﻢ‬
َ ُ 1 ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ً َ َ ‫ﺗﺮاﺑﺎ‬ ً َ ُ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫ﻣﺘﻨﺎ َو‬ ُ َْ َ َ َ L َ ُْ‫ا‬
‫ﻣﻄﻠﻌﻮن‬ ِ ‫;( ﻗﺎل ﻫﻞ أﻧﺘﻢ‬%) ‫ﻤﺪﻳﻨﻮن‬ ِ ‫وﻋﻈﺎﻣﺎ ِأﺋﻨﺎ‬ ِ ِ ‫ ) ;( ِأﺋﺬا‬nx‫ﻤﺼﺪ‬ ِ
L َْ ْ َ ُ َ َ ُْ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ ََ َ َ َ
°‫ﻧﻌﻤﺔ َر‬ ِ ‫;( و ﻮﻻ‬F) ‫ﻟ•دﻳﻦ‬ ُِ ِ ‫ﷲ ِإن ِﻛﺪت‬ ِ ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ );;( ﻗﺎل ﺗﺎ‬ ِ ِ َ ‫;( ﻓﺎﻃﻠﻊ ﻓﺮآه ِ• ﺳﻮاء‬.)
n|‫ﺑﻤﻌﺬ‬ َ َ ُ ‫ﻦ‬² ُ ْ َ ‫وﻣﺎ‬ َ َ ³‫اﻷو‬ َ ْ َََْ َ
‫ﻨﺎ‬Š‫ﻮﺗ‬u ‫إﻻ‬ ( ;V ) َ L َ ‫ﻦ‬²
nŠ‫ﺑﻤﻴ‬ ُ ْ َ ‫ﻤﺎ‬ª‫أ‬ َ َ َ (;M) ‫?ﻦ‬±‫ﻤﺤ‬ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ ا‬ َ ِ ‫ﻟﻜﻨﺖ‬ ُ ُ َ
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
ْ‫ﻧﺰﻻ َأم‬ ًُ1 ٌْ َ َ ََ
µ‫( أذ ِﻚ ﺧ‬F ) ‫ﻠﻮن‬u‫اﻟﻌﺎ‬
َ ُ َْ ْ َ ََْْ َ َ ْ
‫ﻤﺜﻞ ﻫﺬا ﻓﻠﻴﻌﻤﻞ‬ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ َْ َ َُ َ َ
َ
ِ ِ ِ ِ (Fb) ‫اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ‬ ِ ‫;( ِإن ﻫﺬا ﻬﻮ اﻟﻔﻮز‬X)
ْ ْ ُ َُْ ٌَ َ َ َ َ L ًَْ َ َْ َ َ 1 َُ َ َ
‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬ ِ ِ َ ‫أﺻﻞ‬ ِ •ِ ‫( ِإ<ﻬﺎ ﺷﺠﺮة ·ﺮج‬F%) n‫( ِإﻧﺎ ﺟﻌﻠﻨﺎﻫﺎ ِﻓﺘﻨﺔ ﻟﻠﻈﺎ ِ ِﻤ‬F َ ) ‫ﺰﻗﻮم‬ ِ ‫ﺷﺠﺮة ا‬
َ ُ ُْ َْ َ ُ َ َ َْ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ ‫وس ا‬ ُ ‫رؤ‬ ُُ ُ َ َُْ َ
‫ا¸ﻄﻮن‬ ‫ﻤﺎ ِﺆون ِﻣﻨﻬﺎ‬ª ‫ﻮن ِﻣﻨﻬﺎ‬¹‫ﻵ‬ ِ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻬﻢ‬ ِ (F;) n‫ﺸﻴﺎﻃ‬ ِ ِ ‫( ﻃﻠﻌﻬﺎ ﻛ¬ﻧﻪ‬F.)
ْ ُ (FV) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ‫( ُ»ﻢ إن‬FM) ‫ﻣﻦ َ ﻴﻢ‬ ْ L ‫ﺎ‬j‫ﺸﻮ‬ ً ْ َ َ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ‬ َ ْ َ َ ‫ﻬﻢ‬ ْ ُ َ ‫( ُ»ﻢ إن‬FF)
‫إ<ﻬﻢ‬ ِ ِ ِ َ R‫ﻹ‬ ِ ‫ﺮﺟﻌﻬﻢ‬u ِ ِ ٍ ِ ِ
َn‫اﻷوﻟ‬ َْ َُْ َ ْ ََُْ َ ْ َََ َ ُ َ ُْ ْ َ ََ ْ َُ َ L َ ْ ُ َ ْ ََْ
ِ ¾¿‫ﺒﻠﻬﻢ أ‬x ‫( وﻟﻘﺪ ﺿﻞ‬Mb) ‫آﺛﺎرﻫﻢ “ﻬﺮﻋﻮن‬ ِ ِ P ‫ﻬﻢ‬ª (FX) n‫أﻟﻔﻮا آﺑﺎءﻫﻢ ﺿﺎﻟ‬
َ َ َ َ ُ ‫ﻗﺒﺔ ا‬À ْ َُ َ َ َ َْ ْ ُ َ َ َ 1 ‫ﻴﻬﻢ‬ª ‫أرﺳﻠﻨﺎ‬ َْ َ َْ ْ ََ َ
‫ﻋﺒﺎد‬ ِ ‫( ِإﻻ‬M%) ‫ﻤﻨﺬر?ﻦ‬ ِ ِ ‫”ن‬ ‫ﻛﻴﻒ‬ ‫ﻓﺎﻧﻈﺮ‬ ( M ) ‫ﻣﻨﺬر?ﻦ‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫( وﻟﻘﺪ‬M )
(M.) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫اﷲ ا‬
ِ ِ
So ask them: “Is it more difficult to create them or the things We have
created?” We created them from clinging clay. In fact, you marvel while
they make fun. And when they are reminded, they pay no heed. And
when they see a sign, they make fun of it and say: “This is but plain
magic. What! When we are dead and turned to dust and bones, shall we
be raised life; we and our forefathers also?” (11-17)
Answer them: “Yes you shall be raised and humiliated as well. Thus it
shall be just one shout and they will look about. And they will say: “Woe
betide us! This is the Day of Reckoning.” This is the Judgement Day
which you had been denying. (18-21)
“Gather those who have wronged their souls and their companions and
those who they have been worshipping besides God. Then lead all of
them to the path of Hell. And hold them back a little; they also need to
be asked something. What is the matter; you are not helping each other?
In fact, today they seem to be very obedient. (22-26)
Sūrah S@āffāt 9
And they will turn to one another asking: “It is you who came to us
from the right …” They will reply: “In fact, you were the ones who did
not embrace faith. And we had no power over you: in fact, you
yourselves were a people rebellious. Thus the verdict of Our Lord came
true for us. We will have to taste it. We misled you; we ourselves were
among the misled.” Hence on that day all of them will share the torment.
(27-33)
Thus shall We deal with the evil-doers. Such was their matter that
when they were told that there is no deity but God, they would show
arrogance and say: “Should we renounce our gods at the behest of a mad
poet?” In fact, he has come with the truth and has come in confirmation
of the predictions of the prophets. (34-37)
Indeed, you shall have to taste the grievous torment. And you are being
rewarded for precisely what you had been doing. Only, the special
servants of God shall be protected from it. It is these people for whom
there shall be sustenance marked: fruits and they will be in honour in
gardens of delight reclining face to face on soft couches; for them
goblets of pure wine will be in circulation absolutely crystal clear;
delightfully delicious to those who drink it; neither will it be harmful nor
will they feel tired because of it. And for them will be bashful large-eyed
maidens as if they are sheltered eggs of ostriches. (38-48)
Thus they will turn to one another questioning. A speaker from them
will say: “I had a friend who used to say: ‘Are you among those who
believe in the Hereafter – when we are dead and turned to dust and
bones, will we be brought to account?”’ He will say: “Take a little peep
down.” So he will look down and see his friend in the very midst of Hell.
“By the Lord,” he will say to him, “you almost ruined me! But for the
grace of God I would have surely have been among the assailed. Is it not
a fact that we will never die after our first death neither will we be
punished?” Surely, that is supreme success. To this end let every one
who tries should try. (49-61)
Is this not a better welcome or the zaqqūm tree? We have made this
tree a trial for the unjust. It is a tree that grows in the innermost part of
Hell, bearing fruit like the heads of devils. They shall feed on it, and with
it they shall cram their bellies. Then there will be for them a mixture of
boiling water. Then to Hell shall they return. They found their fathers
erring. Then they also ran in their footsteps. And most before them
among the ancients also went astray. And We sent Our warners to them.
So observe the fate of those who had been warned. Only Our true
servants remained protected from this fate. (66-74)
Sūrah S@āffāt 10
Explanation
ُ ََْ َ
L ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎﻫﻢ‬ ََْ َ ْ َ ًْ َ 1 ََ ْ َُ ْ َْ ْ َ
9
( ) ‫ﻻزب‬ n‫ﻃ‬
ٍ ِ ٍ ِ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫إﻧﺎ‬
ِ ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ‬ ‫ﻓﺎﺳﺘﻔﺘﻬﻢ أﻫﻢ أﺷﺪ ﺧﻠﻘﺎ أم ﻣﻦ‬
ِِ
This verse discusses the possibility of the advent of Day of Judgement
before the discourse goes on to discuss the events of that Day. People
who deny the Prophet’s warning about the Hereafter because they think
that raising the dead to life is something improbable are posed a question
through the tongue of the Prophet (sws). He is told to ask them whether
it is more difficult to create the heavens, the earth, the seas, the
mountains, the sun and the moon or human beings. So how can the God
Who is able to create these things out of nothingness not be able to create
َ ْ َُْ َ َْْ َ
a trivial thing as a human being again. In ْ Sūrah Mu’min, this subjectْ is
‫ﺎس‬e‫ا‬ ‫ﺧﻠﻖ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ¢¿‫أ‬ ‫واﻷرض‬ َ َ ‫]ﻠﻖ ا‬
‫ﺴﻤﺎوات‬ ُ ََ
mentioned َin the
َ ُ َْ َ
following َ words: ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
(;M :.b) ‫“ﻌﻠﻤﻮن‬ ‫ﺎس ﻻ‬e‫ا‬
ِ َ َ ْ ‫وﻟ(ﻦ‬
¾¿‫أ‬
ََ
ِ (Creating the heavens and the earth is
ْ َ ً ْ َ 1 َ َ ْ ُ ْ ََ
more difficult than creating people; yet most people know not, (40:57)).
َ َ ُ َ
In Sūrah Nāzi‘āt, the words are: (MX : M) ‫ﺴﻤﺎء َ|ﻨﺎﻫﺎ‬ ‫أأ<ﺘﻢ أﺷﺪ ﺧﻠﻘﺎ أم ا‬ (Is it
more difficult to create you or the sky; He made it? (27: 79))
The expression ‫ﻻزب‬ ٍ ِ n‫ﻃ‬ ٍ ِ means “sticking or clinging clay”. What is
implied is that the Almighty created all these things with clinging clay; no
particular raw material was needed for this creation so that their
recreation needed an effort to make that material available. The clay with
which they were made is at the disposal of the Almighty in large
quantities. Whenever God wants, He can recreate them; when it was not
difficult for Him to create them the first time, how can it be difficult to re-
ْ ‫ َأم‬diverts the mind to the fact that the
create them?
The use of ‫ﻣﻦ‬
َ ْ َ َ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ْ in ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ‬
comparison is between creating angels and the jinn. In this case the
meaning would be: Ask them whether creating them was more difficult
or other beings We created [like the angels and the jinn]; We created
these people from clay and the angels and the jinn from light and fire
respectively; so if We are capable of creating these creatures how can
We be powerless to create them again.
َ ُ َ ََْ َ ْ َ َْ
10
( ) ‫ﺴﺨﺮون‬T‫و‬ ‫ﻋﺠﺒﺖ‬
ِ ‫ﺑﻞ‬
The verse states that for the Prophet (sws) this rejection on the part of
his addressees is astonishing, and for them this claim of his is the reason
that they make fun of him. He is wondering how can a sensible person

9. So ask them: “Is it more difficult to create them or the things We have
created?” We created them from clinging clay.
10. In fact, you marvel while they make fun.
Sūrah S@āffāt 11
deny such an obvious reality and they are making fun of him by saying
that how can a sensible and sagacious person make such a claim. The
implication is that he and his addressees are as far apart from one another
as the East and the West; the Prophet (sws) is not rightly judging how far
apart they are from him and hence their attitude is a cause of worry for
him.
َ ُُ َْ َ ُL ُ َ َ
11
( %) ‫ﻳﺬﻛﺮون‬ ‫ذا ذﻛﺮوا ﻻ‬f‫و‬
ِ
This verse states the essential consequence of this vast mental gap:
when their way of thinking so different that what to the Prophet (sws) is
obvious is a matter of jest for them, then all his reminders and warnings
are useless for them; whatever advice they are sounded goes waste; no
reasoning has any effect on them.
َ َ ْ ُ ََ
ٌ ْ ِ ‫ﻫﺬا إﻻ‬
ٌ 1 ‫ﺳﺤﺮ‬ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ًَ ََْ َ َ
12
( ;) n‫ﻣﺒ‬
ِ ِ ‫إن‬
ِ ‫ﻮا‬ ‫وﻗﺎ‬ ( .) ‫ﺴﺨﺮون‬Š‫ﺴ‬T
ِ ‫ذا رأوا آﻳﺔ‬f‫و‬
ِ
The verse says that the greatest of miracles cannot convince such
people. They do try to tease and harass the Prophet (sws) by demanding
to see the Hereafter yet when a sign is shown to them, they make fun of
it and call it plain magic.
َ ُ َْ َُ َ ََ َ ُ ََُْ َ ً َ َ ً َُ َُ َْ َ َ
13
( M) ‫أوآﺑﺎؤﻧﺎ اﻷو ﻮن‬ ( F) ‫ﻤﺒﻌﻮﺛﻮن‬ ِ ‫ﻨﺎ ﺗﺮاﺑﺎ‬Œ‫ِأﺋﺬا ِﻣﺘﻨﺎ و‬
‫وﻋﻈﺎﻣﺎ ِأﺋﻨﺎ‬
These verses give words to the fun they make. They ask: When we die
and decay into clay and bones, will we be raised to life again? Even more
astonishing for them is the fact that their forefathers too will be raised to
life; they think that all these things are far away from sense and reason.
Hence, they think that those who threaten them of these things are mad.
َ ُ َ ْ ُ ََ ْ َ َ ُْ
14
( V) ‫داﺧﺮون‬
ِ ‫ﻗﻞ <ﻌﻢ وأﻧﺘﻢ‬
Since the question was raised by them out of jest its answer is given in
a stern tone. They are told that indeed they shall be raised to life again
and at that time they will be disgraced and humiliated.

11. And when they are reminded, they pay no heed.

12. And when they see a sign, they make fun of it and say: “This is but plain
magic.
13. What! When we are dead and turned to dust and bones, shall we be raised
life; we and our forefathers also?”
14. Answer them: “Yes you shall be raised and humiliated as well.
Sūrah S@āffāt 12
َ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ ٌَ َ ٌَْ َ َ َ َ
15
( X) ‫ﻳﻨﻈﺮون‬ ‫ﻓﺈذا ﻫﻢ‬
ِ ‫واﺣﺪة‬
ِ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻤﺎ ِ• زﺟﺮة‬
ِ
The verse implies that these people should not mislead themselves by
thinking that the Almighty will have to make a special effort to recreate
them. This will happen through a mere shout. With the sounding of this
scream they will suddenly rise from their graves and start to look around.
ْ ُ َ َ ‫واﺣﺪة‬
ٌَ َ ٌَْ َ َ َ َ
ِ َ ِ ‫ﻓﺈذا ﻫﻢ ِﺑﺎ‬
In Sūrah Nāzi‘āt, the words used are: :MX) ‫ﺴﺎﻫﺮة‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻤﺎ ِ• زﺟﺮة‬
ِ
( .- % (It will be just a single shout, then, all of a sudden, they will be
standing in a ground, (79:13-14)).
The horror and dread found in this style does not need any words for
its expression.
َ َ َََْ َ ُ َ َ
ُ ْ َ ‫ﻫﺬا‬
L ‫ﻳﻮم‬
16
( b) ‫ا=ﻳﻦ‬
ِ ‫وﻗﺎ ﻮا ﻳﺎ و?ﻠﻨﺎ‬
When the Day of Hereafter which they are so arrogantly denying today
arrives, they will curse themselves and say that what they had been
denying has arrived.

َ ُL َ ُ ُْ ُ ْ َْ ُ َْ َ َ
17
( ) ‫ﺗ(ﺬﺑﻮن‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬
ِ ِ ‫ا’ي ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬
ِ ‫اﻟﻔﺼﻞ‬
ِ ‫ﻫﺬا ﻳﻮم‬
This is the reply they will receive from the angels: Yes this is the very
day you had been denying.
َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َ ُ ُْ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ََْ َُ َ َ ُ ُ ْ
R‫ﻓﺎﻫﺪوﻫﻢ ِإ‬ ِ ‫دون‬
‫اﷲ‬ ِ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ِ ( ) ‫“ﻌﺒﺪون‬ ‫ا’ﻳﻦ ﻇﻠﻤﻮا وأزواﺟﻬﻢ وﻣﺎ ”ﻧﻮا‬ ِ ‫وا‬y‫اﺣ‬
ْ
18
( %) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬ ِ َ ِ
ِ ِ َ ‫—اط‬
ُ ‫ا’ﻳﻦ‬َ َ
َ ِ refers to the polytheists because polytheism
The expression ‫ﻇﻠﻤﻮا‬
is the greatest injustice. Contextual indication shows that the allusion is
َ
to the leaders among the polytheists.
The word ‫أزواج‬َ ْ here is used for companions, followers and associates.
َ َُُْ ُ َ َ
The expression ‫“ﻌﺒﺪون‬ ‫ ﻣﺎ ”ﻧﻮا‬refers to the jinn deities they associated
with God and the idols and stones they worshipped.
On the Day of Judgement, the Almighty will direct the angels to gather
all of them and lead them to Hell.

15. Thus it shall be just one shout and they will look about. And they will
say:
16. “Woe betide us! This is the Day of Reckoning.”
17. This is the Judgement Day which you had been denying.
18. “Gather those who have wronged their souls and their companions and
those who they have been worshipping besides God. Then lead all of them to
the path of Hell.
Sūrah S@āffāt 13

َ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َْْ ُ ُ َْ َ ُ َ ََ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ
19
( F) ‫ﺴﻠﻤﻮن‬Š‫ﺴ‬u
ِ ‫ﻮم‬#‫[ﻨﺎ—ون ); ( ﺑﻞ ﻫﻢ ا‬ ‫ ( ﻣﺎ ﻟ(ﻢ ﻻ‬.) ‫ﻣﺴﺌﻮ ﻮن‬ ‫وﻗﻔﻮﻫﻢ ِإ<ﻬﻢ‬
ِ
These verses portray the humiliation that will occur on that day.
It will be said: Alright! Stop them for a while so that a question can be
posed to them.
َ ُ َ ََ َ ْ ُ َ َ
The words ‫[ﻨﺎ—ون‬ ‫ ﻣﺎ ﻟ(ﻢ ﻻ‬express this question: Why is it that they
are not mutually helping themselves today? In the previous world you
were the flag bearers of one another but today neither are the leaders
helping their followers nor are the followers being of help to their
leaders; neither are those worshipped seem to be of any benefit to their
worshippers nor are the worshippers showing any emotions for their
deities; everyone is busy in his own self; now is the time for selflessness
but everyone has become selfish.
The word ‫ﺴﻼم‬Š‫إﺳ‬ ْ ْ means “to consign oneself” and “to be obedient”. The
َ ُ ِْ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ
expression ‫ﺴﻠﻤﻮن‬Š‫ﺴ‬uِ ‫ﻮم‬#‫ ﺑﻞ ﻫﻢ ا‬means that today these people have
become very obedient and submissive; till yesterday they were
supercilious and arrogant; today they have laid down their arms.
َ ُ َ ََ ْ َ ََ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ ََََْ
20
( M) ‫ﺴﺎء ﻮن‬Š‫ﻳ‬ ‫|ﻌﺾ‬
ٍ P ‫ﺒﻞ |ﻌﻀﻬﻢ‬x‫وأ‬
َ
ُ َ connotes “mutual questioning” and in the succeeding
The word ‫ﺴﺎءل‬Á
verses details are forthcoming about the altercation that will take place
between the leaders and their followers.
ُ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َ
َ ْ ُ ‫ﺗ(ﻮﻧﻮا‬ َ ْ َ َ َ َُْ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ
21
( X) n‫ﺆﻣﻨ‬u
ِِ ‫ﻟﻢ‬ ‫ﺑﻞ‬ ‫ﻮا‬ ‫ﻗﺎ‬ ( V) n‫ﻤ‬#‫ا‬
ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻦ‬ ِ ‫ﺗﺄﺗﻮ<ﻨﺎ‬ ‫ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬ ‫إﻧ(ﻢ‬ِ ‫ﻮا‬ ‫ﻗﺎ‬
Contextual indication shows that first verse is uttered by the masses
and second by the leaders. In other words, the masses will say to their
leaders: “you are responsible for this dire situation; it is you who always
surrounded us from the right and the left so that we were not able to hear
out the Prophet of God; if you had not impeded us we would have
definitely embraced faith.” Leaders will immediately interject and say
that this blame of theirs is totally baseless; they would never have
embraced faith.

19. And hold them back a little; they also need to be asked something. What
is the matter; you are not helping each other? In fact, today they seem to be
very obedient.
20. And they will turn to one another.
21. Asking: “It is you who came to us from the right …” They will reply: “In
fact, you were the ones who did not embrace faith.
Sūrah S@āffāt 14
َ َ َُْ
Our exegetesْ have faced a lot of difficulty in interpreting the
expression n‫ﻤ‬#‫ا‬ َ َ
ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻦ‬ ِ ‫ ;ﺗﺄﺗﻮ<ﻨﺎ‬the reason is that they have failed to grasp its
rather unique style. The Qur’ān has employed this subtle style at many
instances wherein as soon as someone initiates a conversation an
addressee interrupts him and tries to respond to him forthwith in order to
absolve himself from the blame cast. I have referred to some examples of
this style in the preceding sūrahs; some very telling examples will be
seen in the succeeding sūrahs.
The style adopted in this expression is precisely the same. As soon as the
masses will try to blame their leader and would utter the words: you would
come to us from the right … their leaders would understand what they
want to say viz. “you people would come to us from the right and left to
stop us from listening to what the Prophet (sws) ْ َ has to say to us.” So, as
soon as these followers utter the words n‫ﻤ‬#‫ا‬ َ
ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻦ‬ ِ (from the right), these
leaders will take initiative and intervene and start to defend themselves. It
is to portray this intervention andْ interjection of theirs that the Qur’ān has
merely mentioned the words n‫ﻤ‬#‫ا‬ َ َ
ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻦ‬ِ so that it becomes evident from the
very style of the discourse that a day will come when the leaders will not
even let their followers who are blindly following them complete their
sentence; they will interject and declare their own acquittal. Verses 31-33
of Sūrah Sabā’ have already portrayed the altercation between the leaders
and their followers. Readers may look it up.

َ
(%b) nœ‫ﻃﺎ‬َ ً ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ُ ‫ﻣﻦ‬L ‫ﻋﻠﻴ(ﻢ‬
ُ َْ َ ََ َ َ َ َ
22
ِ ‫ﺳﻠﻄﺎن ﺑﻞ ﻛﻨﺘﻢ ﻗﻮﻣﺎ‬
ٍ ‫ﺎ‬e ‫وﻣﺎ ”ن‬
ٌ ْ
َ ُ means “force and authority”. The leaders will continue
The word ‫ﺳﻠﻄﺎن‬
their response by saying that they could never have forcibly stopped the
masses from accepting faith and hence this blame is false; they would go
on to address the masses and tell them that it is they who were
disobedient and haughty because even after the truth had become evident
to them they did not follow it and instead chose to follow their leaders.

(% ) ‫و?ﻦ‬ž ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ (% ) ‫’اﺋﻘﻮن‬
َ َ ‫ﻢ إﻧﺎ ُﻛﻨﺎ‬Ÿ‫ﻓﺄﻏﻮ?ﻨﺎ‬ َ ُ ََ
‫إﻧﺎ‬
َLَ َُْ ََْ َ َ َ
‫ﻨﺎ‬j‫ر‬ ‫ﻓﺤﻖ ﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ ﻗﻮل‬
23
ِ ِ ِ ِ
The above sentences further cite what the leaders will say: “There is no
use blaming one another; we are sinners and you are sinners; for this
reason, the prediction of God that He had made in response to the

22. And we had no power over you: in fact, you yourselves were a people
rebellious.
23. Thus the verdict of Our Lord came true for us. We will have to taste it.
We misled you; we ourselves were among the misled.”
Sūrah S@āffāt 15
challenge of Satan has materialized; He had said that He will fill the
belly of Hell with Satan and all his followers; we will now have to
ُ ََْ ََ
necessarily taste theُ punishmentْ which is ordained for wretches like us.”
َ َ ْ
The words ‫و?ﻦ‬ž ِ ‫ﻢ ِإﻧﺎ ﻛﻨﺎ‬Ÿ‫ ﻓﺄﻏﻮ?ﻨﺎ‬addressed by these leaders to their
followers imply: “We would have been blameworthy if we were virtuous
and we wanted to make you evil; we tried to make you like us; it was
your lack of vision that you followed us and even greater a lack of vision
is that you are blaming us for the fate you met for following us! Alas!
How can we harvest good from evil!”
َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َْ ََْ ْ ُ َ
24
(%%) ‫ﻮن‬Œ•‫ﺸ‬u
ِ ‫اﻟﻌﺬاب‬
ِ •ِ ‫ﻳﻮﻣﺌﺬ‬
ٍ ِ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻬﻢ‬ ِ
The verse states that the excuse of the masses that others are
responsible for their error will be of no avail to them on that day. The
Almighty has granted enough sense to each person so that he can
distinguish between good and evil especially when those calling to the
truth are present to challenge evil. Hence, both the masses and the
leaders will share this punishment.
َ ُ ْ َ َْ ُ
(%;) ‫ون‬¢‫ﺴﺘﻜ‬T َ َ ‫ﻬﻢ َﻻ‬
‫ ِإﻻ اﷲ‬i‫إ‬ ْ ُ َ ‫ﻴﻞ‬x
َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫<ﻔﻌﻞ ﺑﺎ‬
ِ ‫( ِإ<ﻬﻢ ”ﻧﻮا ِإذا‬%.) n‫ﻤﺠﺮﻣ‬
ِِ
ََُْ َ َ َ
‫ِإﻧﺎ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬
ِ ِ ِ
ُ ْ ‫ﻬﺘﻨﺎ َﺸﺎﻋﺮ‬
َ َ ُ ََ َ َ ُ ََُ
25
(%F) ‫ﻨﻮن‬£
ٍ ٍ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻮا آ‬Œ‫ﺎر‬$
ِ ‫و?ﻘﻮ ﻮن ِأﺋﻨﺎ‬
Once the events of the Hereafter are narrated, these verses link them
with the addressees of the Qur’ān: this is not merely the account of
others; the Almighty deals in this manner with all criminals. Their crime
was that when they were invited to profess faith in the One God, they
would arrogantly draw away and express that why should they leave
their deities because of a mad poet. So if people today make the same
statement about their prophet, what is the reason that they will not be
dealt with in the same manner as their predecessors. God deals in the
same way with all sinners.
َ َ َ L َْ
َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫وﺻﺪق ا‬ ْ
26
(%M) n‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‬
ِ ‫ﻖ‬¤‫َﺑﻞ َﺟﺎء ِﺑﺎ‬
This verse answers the Quraysh: he who is inviting them to the belief

24. Hence on that day all of them will share the torment.
25. Thus shall We deal with the evil-doers. Such was their matter that when
they were told that there is no deity but God, they would show arrogance and
say: “Should we renounce our gods at the behest of a mad poet?”
26. In fact, he has come with the truth and has come in confirmation of the
predictions of the prophets.
Sūrah S@āffāt 16
of monotheism and warning them of God’s punishment is not a mad
person or a poet; on the contrary, he is informing them of a certain
happening. A very clear argument to validate his prophethood is that all
messengers from Abraham (sws) to Jesus (sws) have predicted his arrival
and his arrival corroborates these predictions and the teachings of these
prophets of God; this person is neither a stranger to them nor are his
teachings unique. The previous messengers have given news of his
arrival and the previous scriptures corroborate his teachings. If they are
not aware of these facts, they should ask the People of the Book; the
honest among them will attest to these facts. Since all these premises
have already been discussed in detail in the previous sūrahs, I have just
hinted at them.
َ ََُْ ُْ ُ َ َ ْ َُْ َ َ َْ َ َْ ُ ََ ْ ُ
27
(%X) ‫[ﻌﻤﻠﻮن‬ ‫ﺰون ِإﻻ ﻣﺎ ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬¥ ‫( وﻣﺎ‬%V) ‫ﻢ‬#‫اﻷ‬
ِ ِ ‫اﻟﻌﺬاب‬
ِ ‫’اﺋﻘﻮ‬
ِ ‫ِإﻧ(ﻢ‬
These verses imply that the Quraysh should not regard the punishment
the messenger of God is informing them of to be a product of his fancy
and frenzy; it is a certain reality. If they deny him, then they shall
necessarily have to face this woeful punishment; they shall not be
wronged in the slightest manner and they shall be recompensed exactly
according to their deeds.

َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎد اﷲ ا‬
(.b) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬
َ َ
28
ِ ِ ِ ‫ِإﻻ‬
The exception here is severed (‫)ﻣﻨﻘﻄﻊ‬. The implication is that the above
referred to fate will be faced by every person; only those servants of God
will remain protected from it who are chosen by His mercy. I have
continued to allude to the fact that God chooses only those for His mercy
and blessingsَ who deserve this selection because of their faith and deeds.
ْ ُْ
The word ‫ﻠص‬Ã is used to point to the fact that whatever a person receives
he receives because of God’s mercy and favour; no other being has the
authority to grant people any favour as understood by the Idolaters.
ٌ ْ ْ َُ َ َْ ُ
ٌ ُ ْ ‫رزق‬
29
(. ) ‫ﻣﻌﻠﻮم‬ ِ ‫أو¦ﻚ ﻬﻢ‬
ِ
The verse states that it is these people for whom there shall be known
sustenance with God. What is meant is that their timetable for eating and

27. Indeed, you shall have to taste the grievous torment. And you are being
rewarded for precisely what you had been doing.
28. Only, the special servants of God shall be protected from it.
29. It is these people for whom there shall be sustenance marked.
Sūrah S@āffāt 17
drinking will be determined according to their wishes, and what is
presented to them will be in accordance with their desire and selection.
As for the dwellers of Hell, its keepers will throw before them some
things whenever they want to and whatever is thrown before them will
be the most unfamiliar and the most foul; on the contrary, that which is
presented before the dwellers of Paradise will be according to their wish
and desire; what is presented will not be unfamiliar to them so that they
feel an aversion to them; they will be known and familiar. However, the
standard of these things will be something reservedُ َ ً ْ َ for
َ َ ْ the َ dwellers
ْ
of
ُ ُ َ ُ
Paradise. In Sūrahُ Baqarah, the words are: ‫رزﻗﻮا ِﻣﻨﻬﺎ ِﻣﻦ »ﻤﺮٍة ِرزﻗﺎ ﻗﺎ ﻮا‬ ِ ‫ﻤﺎ‬¹
ً َ َ ُ ‫وأﺗﻮا ﺑﻪ‬ َُْ ْ َْ ُ
ُ َ ‫ﺒﻞ‬x َ َ
( ; : ) ‫ﺸﺎﺑﻬﺎ‬Š‫ﻣ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ِ ‫ﻨﺎ‬x‫رز‬
ِ ‫ا’ي‬
ِ ‫ﻫﺬا‬ (Every time they are fed with
their fruit they will say: “Why, this is what we were fed with before.” In
reality, it will be similar to the previous one. (2:25)). Readers are advised
to read my explanation of this verse in order to understand the verse
under discussion.

َ َ َ 1 ‫§ر‬ ََ
ُ ُ P َ ُ َْ 1 َُ ُ ََ
َ • (. ) ‫ﻮن‬u‫ﻣﻜﺮ‬
30
(..) n‫ﻣﺘﻘﺎﺑﻠ‬
ِِ ٍ ( .% ) ‫ﻌﻴﻢ‬e‫ا‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺟﻨﺎت‬
ِ ِ ‫ﻓﻮاﻛﻪ وﻫﻢ‬
ِ
The verse states that fruits shall be presented to the dwellers of
Paradise and they shall be dealt with in a very honourable way. It has
already been stated in verse eighteen that the dwellers of Hell will be
humiliatingly in the enclosure of Hell and in verses 62-67 it is stated that
they shall be given the tree of zaqqūm for eating and boiling water for
drinking. On the contrary, the dwellers of Paradise will be given fruits
and treated with respect and honour.
The words ‫ﻌﻴﻢ‬e‫ا‬
َ • describe their permanent abode: the will be in
ِ ِ ‫ﺟﻨﺎت‬
ِ ِ
gardens of bliss and hence will be able to access all favours and gifts of
this place whenever they want َ َ and in whatever quantity they want.
َ َ َ 1 ‫§ر‬
The words n‫ﻣﺘﻘﺎﺑﻠ‬ ُ ُ P
ِِ ٍ portray their mutual love and affection: they
will sit on thrones while facing one another. It is known that when
people have malice and dislike for one another they sit while turning
their faces away from one another. Since the hearts of the dwellers of
Paradise will be very pure and clean for one another, they will sit while
facing one another. Earlier the altercation that will ensue between the
dwellers of Paradise has been referred to. These verses, in contrast,
portray the circumstances of the dwellers of Paradise.

30. Fruits and they will be in honour in gardens of delight reclining face to
face on soft couches.
Sūrah S@āffāt 18
َ L َ َ ْ َ L
َ (.F) nj‫ﻟﻠﺸﺎر‬ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ
َ (.;) n‫“ﻄﺎف َﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﺑ(ﺄس ﻣﻦ ﻣﻌ‬ ُ َُ
nj‫ﻟﻠﺸﺎر‬ ‫’ة‬ َ
ٍ ‫|ﻴﻀﺎء‬ ‫’ة‬ َ
ٍ ‫|ﻴﻀﺎء‬ ِ ٍ
ِِ ِِ ٍ ِ ِ ِ
َ َُ ُ َْ َ ْ ُ ََ ٌْ َ َ َ
ْ
31
(.M ) ‫ﻳ«ﻓﻮن‬ ‫ﻴﻬﺎ ﻏﻮل وﻻ ﻫﻢ ©ﻨﻬﺎ‬ªِ ‫( ﻻ‬.F)
ٌ َ
The word ‫ ﻛﺄس‬occurs in Arabic for both a cup and for the drink it
contains. The word n‫ﻣﻌ‬
ٌ
ِ means “pure and unadulterated”. An example of
this meaning ٌ occurs in verse thirty of Sūrah Mulk.
The word ‫ﻏﻮل‬ ْ َ means “to kill someone secretly,” and from here it came
to be used in the meaning of “a hidden harm.”
َ َُ ُ
The word ‫ﻳ«ﻓﻮن‬ means “to get tired” and also “to lose one’s senses”.
Here, it is used in both these meanings. The effects of drinking wine not
only are intoxication, tiredness and weakness but also losing one’s
senses. The first of these is a form of physical harm and the second of
these is a form of moral misconduct. The wine of Paradise will be devoid
of both these defects. The verses mean that cups of pure wine will be
passed around for the dwellers of Paradise. This wine will not produce
any malice or hatred, will be pure, unadulterated and delightful for those
who consume it; it will neither have any hidden harm nor will it make a
person lose his senses. In other words, it will have all the qualities of
superior wines and it will also be devoid of every ill-effect that the best
of wines of this world has.
ٌ ُْ ٌ َْ ُ ََ ٌ ‫اﻟﻄﺮف‬ ُ َ َ ‫وﻋﻨﺪﻫﻢ‬
ْ ‫ﻗﺎ—ات‬ ْ ُ َْ َ
32
(.X) ‫ﻣﻜﻨﻮن‬ ‫|ﻴﺾ‬ ‫( ﻛ¬<ﻬﻦ‬.V) n©ِ ِ ِ ِ
No pleasure and delight of a person stands complete without women.
So after mentioning other pleasures and favours of Paradise houris are
mentioned which will be given to men. Readers may have observed that
while mentioning the delights of Paradise the Arab taste has been
specially kept in consideration because they were the foremost
addressees of the Qur’ān. Similarly, the attributes used by the Qur’ān to
describe these houris are the ones which classical Arabic poets used for
virgin and beautiful women. The actual meaning of the expression
ُ َ َ is “women who lower their gazes”. It signifies their
ِ ْ
‫اﻟﻄﺮف‬ ‫ﻗﺎ—ات‬
ِ
bashfulness and modesty. For the Arabs, the greatest beauty of a woman
ُْْ َ
was her bashfulness.
The word n©
ٌ
ِ is the plural of n©‫ أ‬and refers to the fact that these

31. For them goblets of pure wine will be in circulation absolutely crystal
clear; delightfully delicious to those who drink it; neither will it be harmful nor
will they feel tired because of it.
32. And for them will be bashful large-eyed maidens as if they are sheltered
eggs of ostriches.
Sūrah S@āffāt 19
women will be larg-eyes.
ٌ ُْ ٌ ْ
The words ‫ َ|ﻴﺾ ﻣﻜﻨﻮن‬mean “eggs of an ostrich.” In classical Arabic
literature, beautiful women are often compared with eggs of an ostrich.
Deliberation on this simile shows that it gives due regard to the chastity,
ٌ ُْ
protectedness and colour of women. The word ‫ ﻣﻜﻨﻮن‬signifies that they
are pure and untouched. It needs to be kept in mind that the Arabs were
very sensitive and touchy in protecting their un-married women. It is
known that an ostrich may go as far as to sacrifice his life in order to
protect its eggs. The simile also denotes that these eggs are golden in
colour. Arab poets often mention the golden complexion of beautiful
women. The attribute ‫اء‬ (yellowish-golden) is very common for them
for a beloved. I can present examples from classical Arabic literature to
support all that I have said above; however, I want to contain myself
from prolonging this explanation.
َ ُ َ ََ ْ َ ََ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ ََََْ
33
(;b) ‫ﺴﺎء ﻮن‬Š‫ﻳ‬ ‫|ﻌﺾ‬
ٍ P ‫ﺒﻞ |ﻌﻀﻬﻢ‬x‫ﻓﺄ‬
From here till verse fifty nine, a dialogue among the dwellers of
Paradise is cited which will take place when they will be sitting on
thrones in Paradise. Also evident from this dialogue is their extent of
happiness for achieving success against combating hindrances for the
cause of truth in the previous world. Moreover, this dialogue also reflects
the bliss that will engulf them while thinking that they have been forever
delivered from death and punishment.
َُ َْ َ َ َ L َ ُْ ْ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ ٌ َ - ‫”ن‬ َ َ L ْ ُْL ٌ َ َ َ
‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫ ) ;( ِأﺋﺬا ِﻣﺘﻨﺎ و‬nx‫ﻤﺼﺪ‬ ِ ‫ﻗﺮ?ﻦ ) ;( “ﻘﻮل ِأﺋﻨﻚ ِﻤﻦ ا‬ ِ ِ ®‫ﻗﺎﺋﻞ ﻣﻨﻬﻢ ِإ‬ ِ ‫ﻗﺎل‬
َ َ • ‫ﻓﺮآه‬ َ َ
ُ َ ‫ﻓﺎﻃﻠﻊ‬َ َ َ ُ 1 ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ً َ َ ‫ﺗﺮاﺑﺎ‬ ً َُ
‫ﺳﻮاء‬ ِ (;.) ‫ﻣﻄﻠﻌﻮن‬ ِ ‫;( ﻗﺎل ﻫﻞ أﻧﺘﻢ‬%) ‫ﻤﺪﻳﻨﻮن‬ ِ ‫وﻋﻈﺎﻣﺎ ِأﺋﻨﺎ‬ ِ
َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ ا‬
‫?ﻦ‬±‫ﻤﺤ‬ َ ِ ‫ﻟﻜﻨﺖ‬ُ ُ َ °‫ر‬ L َ ُ َ ْ َََْ
‫;( و ﻮﻻ ِﻧﻌﻤﺔ‬F) ‫ﻟ•دﻳﻦ‬ ِ
ْ ُ َ ‫إن ﻛﺪت‬
ِ
ْ
‫ﷲ‬
ِ
َ َ َ
‫ﺗﺎ‬ ‫ﻗﺎل‬ ( ;;) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬
ِ ِ َْ
ِ ِ ِ
34 َ
(;X) n|‫ﺑﻤﻌﺬ‬ َ ُ ُ
‫ﻦ‬²
َْ َ َ َ ُْ َََْ َ
‫وﻣﺎ‬ ³‫اﻷو‬ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Š‫ﻮﺗ‬u ‫إﻻ‬ ( ;V ) َ L َ ‫ﻦ‬²
nŠ‫ﺑﻤﻴ‬ َ َ َ (;M)
ُ ْ َ ‫ﻤﺎ‬ª‫أ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
A person from among the dwellers of Paradise will thus narrate a story

33. Thus they will turn to one another questioning.

34. A speaker from them will say: “I had a friend who used to say: ‘Are you
among those who believe in the Hereafter – when we are dead and turned to
dust and bones, will we be brought to account?”’ He will say: “Take a little
peep down.” So he will look down and see his friend in the very midst of Hell.
“By the Lord,” he will say to him, “you almost ruined me! But for the grace of
God I would have surely have been among the assailed. Is it not a fact that we
will never die after our first death neither will we be punished?”
Sūrah S@āffāt 20
of his past to his associates sitting around him: “I had an acquaintance
who would pose a question to me while being wonder-struck. He would
ask me if I was also among those who believed in the Hereafter; he
would inquire from me if I really believed that when people die and
become mud and bones they would be raised َ toْ life again.”
َ ُ 1 ُ َ
After that he will utter the words ‫ﻣﻄﻠﻌﻮن‬ ِ ‫( ﻫﻞ أﻧﺘﻢ‬look what happened to
him) to his associates. This style is used in the Arabic language to urge
and stir up someone – much like we say: “go find out; take a peep.” What
he would imply would be: “The day about which that person fought with
me has arrived; now find out about that person and his whereabouts.”
While uttering the above cited words, he himself will take a peep and
willْ find that personَ in the centre of Hell, as is evident from the words:
َ َ ُ ََ َ َ َ َ
ِ ِ َ ‫ﻓﺎﻃﻠﻊ ﻓﺮآه ِ• ﺳﻮاء ا‬. The word ‫ ﺳﻮاء‬means “middle”. Evident from
‫•ﺤﻴﻢ‬
these words is the powers of the dwellers of Paradise: while sitting on
their thrones they would be able to see anyone they want to however far
he may be and also would be able to talk to him.
After that, he will condemn that person for tryingَ َ almostَ ruining his
fate, as ْ is evident from the words: ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ُ ُ َ °‫ر‬
َ ِ ‫ﻟﻜﻨﺖ‬ Lَ َُْ ْ َ
‫ﻟ•دﻳﻦ و ﻮﻻ ِﻧﻌﻤﺔ‬ ُْ ْ َ
ِ ِ ‫ﷲ ِإن ِﻛﺪت‬ ِ ‫ﺗﺎ‬
َ َ ْ ُ
‫?ﻦ‬±‫ﻤﺤ‬ ِ ‫ ;ا‬it was only God’s grace that he was able to protect himself
from his onslaught otherwise he too would have been inflicted by the
same punishment as him.
After witnessing that person’s fate and his own success, he will leap
with joy and gleefully declare to his companions: “Have we not been
delivered forever from the jaws of death and from the pangs of
َ ََ
punishment.” In other words, this is theَ ُ greatest ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ofَ Lsuccesses.
³‫اﻷو‬ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Š‫ﻮﺗ‬u ‫إﻻ‬ nŠ‫ﺑﻤﻴ‬ ُ ْ َ ‫ﻤﺎ‬ª‫أ‬
َ ‫ﻦ‬²
Deliberation
َ َ reveals that their success would be so farِ beyond
on the style of these verses viz ِ ِ
َ َ ُ ‫ﻦ‬²
n|‫ﺑﻤﻌﺬ‬ ُ ْ َ ‫وﻣﺎ‬ their
ِ ِ
expectations that even after seeing it they would not believe in it and
would seek the attestation of their companions.
َ ُ َْ ْ َ ََْْ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ‫اﻟﻔﻮز‬
ُ ْ َ ْ ‫ﻬﻮ‬
َ ُ َ ‫ﻫﺬا‬
َ َ
35
(F ) ‫ﻠﻮن‬u‫اﻟﻌﺎ‬
ِ ‫ﻤﺜﻞ ﻫﺬا ﻓﻠﻴﻌﻤﻞ‬
ِ ِ ِ (Fb) ‫اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ‬
ِ ‫ِإن‬
This is a comment of God on what they said: Real success is the one
which will be reaped by those people who lived their lives while keeping
in consideration the Hereafter; it is this target to which every person
should aspire for. The implication is that even if those who are
vehemently after the pleasures and lures of this life achieve some success,
then for how long? At last, they have to die and one day rise before God

35. Surely that is supreme success. To this end let every one who tries should
try.
Sūrah S@āffāt 21
to face reward and punishment. So why should they not strive for abiding
and eternal success instead of going after transient triumphs.

ٌَ َ َ َ َ L ًَْ َ َْ َ َ 1 َُ َ َ َْ ًُ1 ٌْ َ َ ََ
‫( ِإ<ﻬﺎ ﺷﺠﺮة‬F%) n‫( ِإﻧﺎ ﺟﻌﻠﻨﺎﻫﺎ ِﻓﺘﻨﺔ ﻟﻠﻈﺎ ِ ِﻤ‬F ) ‫ﺰﻗﻮم‬ ِ ‫ ﻧﺰﻻ أم ﺷﺠﺮة ا‬µ‫أذ ِﻚ ﺧ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻮن‬¹‫ﻵ‬
َ ُ َ َ
ْ ُ (F;) n‫ﺸﻴﺎﻃ‬ َ ‫رؤوس ا‬ َ
ُ ُ ُ ‫ﻛ¬ﻧﻪ‬
ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ (F.) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬ ْ ْ َ • ‫·ﺮج‬
ُ َُْ
‫ﻣﻨﻬﺎ‬ِ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻬﻢ‬ ‫ﻃﻠﻌﻬﺎ‬ َ ‫أﺻﻞ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ ْ L ً ْ َ َ ََْ َ ْ َُ ُ َ ُ ُْ َْ َ ُ َ َ
36
(FM) ‫ﻴﻢ‬ٍ ِ ‫ﺎ ﻣﻦ‬j‫( »ﻢ ِإن ﻬﻢ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﺸﻮ‬FF) ‫ﻤﺎ ِﺆون ِﻣﻨﻬﺎ ا¸ﻄﻮن‬ª
After a mention of the dwellers of Paradise, this is a mention of the
humiliation that the dwellers of Hell will suffer. This mention begins by
a question: People have heard about the favours and pleasures the
companions of Paradise enjoy; they should speak up if this hospitality is
better or that of the tree of zaqqūm which the companions of Hell will
encounter. L ًَْ َ َْ َ َ
َ
The words n‫ ِإﻧﺎ ﺟﻌﻠﻨﺎﻫﺎ ِﻓﺘﻨﺔ ﻟﻠﻈﺎ ِ ِﻤ‬imply that God has made this tree a
means of trial for the wrongdoers. By using this mention of the tree, they
made a lot of fun of Hell. This is a reference to the fact that when they
were told by the Qur’ān that in Hell they will be given this tree as food,
then instead of learning a lesson from this, they started to ridicule it by
saying: “What a place is this Hell? It has fire and tree and water in it?” It
is then stated that this tree became a trial for them, and by taking its
ُُ ُ ََ َُْ َ
pretence they tried to deny a reality whichْ they َ will have to face one day.
َ ُ َ ْ ُ ُ َْ ٌَ َ َ َ
The verses n‫ﺸﻴﺎﻃ‬
ِ ِ ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ ﻃﻠﻌﻬﺎ ﻛ¬ﻧﻪ رؤوس ا‬
ِ ِ ‫أﺻﻞ‬
ِ •ِ ‫ ِإ<ﻬﺎ ﺷﺠﺮة ·ﺮج‬state the
fact that these people express wonder that what kind of a tree grows in
fire. The fact of the matter is that the nature of this tree is such that it can
only grow and nourish in the pit of Hell. The second of these verses
portray a very eloquent simile. At times a comparison is made with an
imaginative entity but it is more comprehensible to the mind than tangible
and observable entities. For example, at times we call a person with an
unruly appearance and disheveled hair a ghost. Though a ghost is an
imaginative entity yet every person has some concept of a ghost in his
mind. Hence the way this comparison will portray such a person seldom
will any other comparison match it. In a similar manner, here the leaves
and thorns of the tree of zaqqūm are likened to heads of devils. It is as if
several devils are standing with their heads naked. This comparison is
imaginary; yet since a horrible concept of devils is found in the minds,

36. Is this not a better welcome or the zaqqūm tree? We have made this tree a
trial for the unjust. It is a tree that grows in the innermost part of Hell, bearing
fruit like the heads of devils. They shall feed on it, and with it they shall cram
their bellies. Then there will be for them a mixture of boiling water.
Sūrah S@āffāt 22
merely listening to it makes the body shudder.
The verses say that this zaqqūm will become the food of the dwellers
of Hell and so compelled will they be to consume it that they will fill
their bellies with it. Then in order to swallow and digest it, they will be
given boiling water to drink.
ْ َ َ ْ َُ َْ ُ
ِ ِ َ R‫ﻹ‬
(FV) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬ ِ ‫ﺮﺟﻌﻬﻢ‬u
ِ ‫»ﻢ ِإن‬
37

This zaqqūm tree will be given to the dwellers of Hell as the first act of
their hospitality (nuzul) as is evident from verse sixty two earlier. Once
they are fed with zaqqūm and boiling water, their real abode will be Hell
where the results of all their deeds will come before them.
َ ُ َ ُْ ْ َ ََ ْ َُ َ L َ ْ ُ َ ْ ََْ ْ ُ
38
(Mb) ‫آﺛﺎرﻫﻢ “ﻬﺮﻋﻮن‬
ِ ِ P ‫ﻬﻢ‬ª (FX) n‫ِإ<ﻬﻢ أﻟﻔﻮا آﺑﺎءﻫﻢ ﺿﺎﻟ‬
These verses describe the actual reason of their going astray: they did
not use their sense and reason and, on the contrary, blindly followed their
forefathers. Their forefathers had gone astray, and they selected to follow
their ways. When the messengers of God asked them to use their sense
and reason, and distinguish good from evil, they arrogantly rejected this
call by saying that should they leave their deities at the behest of a mad
poet. It is evident from this that blind following is the greatest factor in
making a person go astray. In this world, the Almighty is testing the
intellect and the intention of people; for this reason, a person who sends
his intellect and intention into abeyance will never succeed in this trial.

َ َ ََْ ْ ُ َ َ َْ َ َْ ْ َََ
1 ‫ﻴﻬﻢ‬ª ‫أرﺳﻠﻨﺎ‬ َ َ ْ ¾¿‫أ‬ ُ َْ َ ْ ََُْ َ ْ َََ
‫ﻛﻴﻒ ”ن‬ ‫( ﻓﺎﻧﻈﺮ‬M ) ‫ﻣﻨﺬر?ﻦ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻟﻘﺪ‬‫و‬ ( M ) n‫اﻷوﻟ‬
ِ ‫ﺒﻠﻬﻢ‬x ‫وﻟﻘﺪ ﺿﻞ‬
َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎد اﷲ ا‬
(M.) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬
َ َ َ َ ُ ْ ‫ﻗﺒﺔ ا‬À
َُ َ
39
ِ ِ ِ ‫( ِإﻻ‬M%) ‫ﻤﻨﺬر?ﻦ‬ِ ِ
The antecedent of the pronoun in ‫ﺒﻠﻬﻢ‬xْ ََُْ
is “the Quraysh”. From here,
the discourse shifts to historical arguments.
It is stated that the way the Quraysh have gone astray, in a similar way
many other nations had gone astray earlier and met their fate. This is a
reference to the nations which were mentioned in detail in the previous
sūrahs and which will also be mentioned ahead in this sūrah. The verses
state that God sent many warners to them from among them to warn

37. Then to Hell shall they return.

38. They found their fathers erring. Then they also ran in their footsteps.
39. And most before them among the ancients also went astray. And We sent
Our warners to them. So observe the fate of those who had been warned. Only
Our true servants remained protected from this fate.
Sūrah S@āffāt 23
them of their wrong behaviour but like the Quraysh they too rejected
them in their frenzy for blind following their fore-fathers. At last, they
suffered the same fate which every nation necessarily does once the truth
is conclusively communicated to it. Only those of God’s servants were
protected from this evil fate whom God’s mercy had chosen – the
implication is that the Prophet (sws) should rest assured that this fate will
also befall these Quraysh; he should continue to do his work with
perseverance and consign their matter to God.

Section III: Verses (75-148)

In the succeeding verses, the anecdotes of Abraham (sws), Ishmael

(sws), Isaac (sws), Moses (sws), Aaron (sws), Ilyās (sws), Lot (sws) and
Jonah (sws) are narrated and at the end of each tale occurs the repetitive
motif “God has blessed His Messenger with mercy and peace,
strengthened his propagation mission; this is how God rewards His
servants who do befitting deeds.” It is this motif which, in fact, is the
summary of these anecdotes as well.
Till the mention of Aaron (sws) all prophets are cited in the
chronological order; after that the sequence is based on the attributes of
each prophet; details of this will be found when the verses are explained.
In the light of this discussion, readers may now proceed to study the
verses.

َْ َ َ َ
‫وﺟﻌﻠﻨﺎ‬ (MF) ‫اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ‬ َ ْ ‫اﻟﻜﺮب‬ ْ َ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ُ َ ْ َ َ ‫ﻴﻨﺎه‬Å‫و‬
َ ِ ‫وأﻫﻠﻪ‬ ُ َ ْ َ َ (M;) ‫ﻤﺠﻴﺒﻮن‬ َ ُ ُْ َ ْ ََ ٌ ُ َ َ َ ْ َََ
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻓﻠﻨﻌﻢ ا‬ ِ ‫وﻟﻘﺪ ﻧﺎداﻧﺎ ﻧﻮح‬
َ َ ‫اﻟﻌﺎ‬ َ ْ • ‫ﻧﻮح‬ ُ ََ ٌ َ َ َ ْ ْ َ َ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫وﺗﺮ‬ ََََْ َ َ ْ ‫ﻫﻢ‬ ْ ُ ‫ذر?ﺘﻪ‬ َُ Lُ
(MX) n‫ﻤ‬ ِ ِ ٍ P ‫( ﺳﻼم‬MV) ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬ ِ ِ •ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬ ِ (MM) nx‫ا¸ﺎ‬ ِ
َ َ ْ ‫ﻨﺎ‬x‫أﻏﺮ‬ ََْْ َ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا‬ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُْ َْ َ َ َ
‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬ ِ ‫( »ﻢ‬V ) n‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬ ِِ ِ ِ ‫( ِإﻧﻪ ِﻣﻦ‬Vb) nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﺰي ا‬Å ِ ‫ِإﻧﺎ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬
َْ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ‫ﺷﻴﻌﺘﻪ‬ َ َ
ِ ِ َ ‫ﻷ|ﻴﻪ‬
‫وﻗﻮﻣﻪ‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫( ِإذ ﻗﺎل‬V.) ‫ﺳﻠﻴﻢ‬ ٍ ِ ‫ﺑﻘﻠﺐ‬ ٍ ِ ‫ﻪ‬j‫( ِإذ ﺟﺎء ر‬V%) ‫ﻹﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ن ِﻣﻦ‬f‫و‬ ِ
َ (V )
َ َ ‫اﻟﻌﺎ‬ َ ْ ‫ﺑﺮب‬ L َ ‫ﻇﻨ(ﻢ‬ ُ 1 َ ََ َ ُ ُ َ ُ ًَ ً ْ َ َ َُُْ َ َ
(VM) n‫ﻤ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻤﺎ‬ª ( VF ) ‫ﺗﺮ?ﺪون‬ ِ ‫اﷲ‬
ِ ‫دون‬ ‫ آ ِﻬﺔ‬Ç‫( ِأﺋﻔ‬V;) ‫[ﻌﺒﺪون‬ ‫ﻣﺎذا‬
َ َ ََ َ ْ ُ ‫©ﻨﻪ‬ ُ ْ َ ‫ﺘﻮﻟﻮا‬ªْ َ َ َ (VX) ‫ﺳﻘﻴﻢ‬ L َ ََ ًَ َْ َ َََ
R‫( ﻓﺮاغ ِإ‬Xb) ‫ﻣﺪﺑﺮ?ﻦ‬ ِِ
ٌ َ ®‫ﻘﺎل إ‬ª
ِ ِ (VV) ‫ﺠﻮم‬e‫ا‬ ِ ُ 1 •ِ ‫<ﻈﺮة‬ ‫ﻨﻈﺮ‬ª
َْ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ََ ْ َ
n‫ﻤ‬#‫ﺑﺎ‬ ً ْ َ ْ ْ َ ‫ﻓﺮاغ‬ َ َ (X ) ‫ﺗﻨﻄﻘﻮن‬ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﺎ‬jÉ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬ ِ ِ ‫( ﻣﺎ ﻟ(ﻢ ﻻ‬X ) ‫ﻘﺎل أﻻ ﺗﺄ¿ﻠﻮن‬ª ‫ﻬﺘﻬﻢ‬ ِِ ِ‫آ‬
َ َ ‫ﺧﻠﻘ(ﻢ‬ْ ُ َ َ ‫اﷲ‬ َ ُ ‫( َو‬X;) ‫[ﻨﺤﺘﻮن‬ َ ُ َْ َ َ َُُْ َ َ َ َ 1 َ ْ َ ُ َ َْ َ
‫وﻣﺎ‬ ِ ‫( ﻗﺎل أ[ﻌﺒﺪون ﻣﺎ‬X.) ‫ﻳﺰﻓﻮن‬ ِ ‫ﻪ‬#‫إ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺒﻠﻮا‬x‫( ﻓﺄ‬X%)
ُ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫ﻛﻴﺪا‬ ًَْ ُ َََ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ‫ﻴﺎﻧﺎ‬Æ‫ﺑ‬ ً َُْ َُ ُْ ُ َ َ ََُْ
‫ﻓﺠﻌﻠﻨﺎﻫﻢ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬
ِِ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻓﺄرادو‬ ( XM ) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬
ِ ِ •ِ ‫ﻓﺄﻟﻘﻮه‬ i ‫( ﻗﺎ ﻮا ا|ﻨﻮا‬XF) ‫[ﻌﻤﻠﻮن‬
‫‪Sūrah S@āffāt‬‬ ‫‪24‬‬
‫ﺼﺎ‪( bb) n¤‬‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ ا‬ ‫ﻫﺐ ‪َ ِ -‬‬ ‫رب َ ْ‬ ‫ﺳﻴﻬﺪﻳﻦ )‪L َ (XX‬‬ ‫ََ َ ‪َْ َ Lَ َ ٌ َ L‬‬
‫ر‪°‬‬ ‫إ‪R‬‬ ‫ذاﻫﺐ‬ ‫إ®‬ ‫وﻗﺎل‬ ‫(‬ ‫‪XV‬‬ ‫)‬ ‫َْْ َ َ‬
‫اﻷﺳﻔﻠ‪n‬‬
‫ِِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ََْ َ ‪َ َُ َْ L‬‬ ‫ْ ِ َ َ َ ُ َ ‪ََ L‬‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ََ َْ ُ‬
‫ﻨﺎم ‪ ®Î‬أذ‪k‬ﻚ‬ ‫ﺴ‪ Ì‬ﻗﺎل ﻳﺎ |‪ِ Ë‬إ® أرى ِ• ا ﻤ ِ‬ ‫ﺣﻠﻴﻢ ) ‪ ( b‬ﻓﻠﻤﺎ َﺑﻠﻎ ﻣﻌﻪ ا َ‬ ‫ﺑﻐﻼم ِ ٍ‬ ‫ﻓ‪yÊ‬ﻧﺎه ِ ٍ‬
‫ﺼﺎﺑﺮ?ﻦ ) ‪( b‬‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫اﷲ ِ َ‬
‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﺳﺘﺠﺪ® إن َﺷﺎء ُ‬ ‫ﺗﺆ‪u‬ﺮ َ َ ُ‬ ‫ا‪ª‬ﻌﻞ َﻣﺎ ُ ْ َ ُ‬ ‫َْْ‬
‫أﺑﺖ‬ ‫ﻗﺎل َﻳﺎ َ َ‬ ‫َ ُ ْ َ َ ََ َ َ‬
‫ﻓﺎﻧﻈﺮ ﻣﺎذا ﺗﺮى‬
‫ِِ‬ ‫ِ ِ ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫َ َ َ‬ ‫ﺻﺪﻗﺖ ا ‪َ ْ 1‬‬ ‫ﻗﺪ َ ْ َ‬ ‫َْ‬ ‫أن َﻳﺎ ْ َ ِ ُ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ََ ََْ ُ ْ‬ ‫وﺗﻠﻪ َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫أﺳﻠﻤﺎ َ َ ُ‬ ‫ﻓﻠﻤﺎ َ ْ َ َ‬ ‫ََ‬
‫ﺮؤ?ﺎ ِإﻧﺎ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬ ‫إﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ )‪( b.‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫وﻧﺎد“ﻨﺎه‬ ‫(‬ ‫‪b%‬‬ ‫)‬ ‫ﻠﺠﺒ‪n‬‬‫ِ ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫وﻓﺪ“ﻨﺎه ْ َ‬ ‫ﻤﺒ‪ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ( bF) n‬‬ ‫ا¸ﻼء ا ْ ُ ُ‬ ‫َ َ َُ َ َْ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُْ ْ‬ ‫َْ‬
‫ﻋﻈﻴﻢ )‪( bM‬‬ ‫ﺑﺬﺑﺢ ِ ٍ‬ ‫ِِ ٍ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ﻬﻮ‬ ‫ﻫﺬا‬ ‫إن‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫(‬ ‫;‪b‬‬ ‫)‬ ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‪nÆ‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫‪Å‬ﺰي‬ ‫ِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫ُْ ْ‬ ‫َ َ َ َْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫َ َ ٌ ََ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ََََْ َ َ‬
‫ﻤﺤﺴ‪( b) nÆ‬‬ ‫ِ ِ‬ ‫‪Å‬ﺰي ا‬ ‫إﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ )‪ ( bX‬ﻛﺬ ِﻚ ِ‬ ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ )‪ ( bV‬ﺳﻼم ‪ِ ِ P‬‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ِ• ِ ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫وﺗﺮ‪Œ‬ﻨﺎ‬
‫َ َ َ ْ َ َ َْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ﺑﺈﺳﺤﻖ َﻧ‪Ê‬ﻴﺎ ‪َ L‬‬ ‫‪y‬ﻧﺎه ْ َ َ‬ ‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‪َ ( ) n‬و َ ْ َ ُ‬ ‫دﻧﺎ ا ُ ْ َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ُ ْ َ َ‬
‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ﺼﺎ‪ ( ) n¤‬و‪j‬ﺎر‪Œ‬ﻨﺎ‬ ‫ِِ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ ا‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِِ‬ ‫ِِ‬ ‫ِإﻧﻪ ِﻣﻦ ِﻋﺒﺎ ِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ْ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫‪L‬‬ ‫‪ََ ٌ ُ َ L‬‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ََ ْ َ َ‬
‫ﻣﺒ‪َ ( %) n‬وﻟﻘﺪ َﻣﻨﻨﺎ ‪uُ P‬ﻮ‪Ð‬‬ ‫‪e‬ﻔﺴﻪ ُ ٌ‬
‫ِ ِ ِ‬
‫وﻇﺎ ِ ٌﻢ َ‬ ‫‪Ï‬ﺴﻦ‬ ‫ذر?ﺘﻬﻤﺎ ِ‬ ‫ِِ‬ ‫وﻣﻦ‬ ‫َو‪ِ P‬إﺳﺤﻖ َ ِ‬
‫ﻫﻢ‬ ‫ﻓ‪Ç‬ﻧﻮا ُ ُ‬ ‫ََ َ َْ ُ ْ ََ ُ‬
‫اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ ); ( وﻧ‪Ñ‬ﻧﺎﻫﻢ‬ ‫اﻟﻜﺮب ْ َ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ ْ َ ْ‬ ‫وﻗﻮ‪u‬ﻬﻤﺎ ِ َ‬ ‫و‪Å‬ﻴﻨﺎﻫ َﻤﺎ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ‬ ‫َ َ َْ ُ‬
‫وﻫﺎرون )‪( .‬‬
‫ََ ُ َ‬
‫ِ ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ﻤﺴﺘﻘﻴﻢ )‪( V‬‬ ‫‪Ñ‬اط ا ْ ُ ْ َ َ‬ ‫وﻫﺪ“ﻨﺎﻫﻤﺎ ا ‪َ َ L‬‬ ‫ﻤﺴ‪Š‬ﺒ‪َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ( M) n‬‬ ‫اﻟﻜﺘﺎب ا ْ ُ ْ َ َ‬ ‫وآﺗ‪6‬ﻨﺎﻫﻤﺎ ْ َ َ‬ ‫اﻟﻐﺎ¸‪َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ( F) n‬‬ ‫َْ َ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِِ‬
‫َ َ َ َْ‬ ‫َ َ ٌ ََ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫وﺗﺮ‪Œ‬ﻨﺎ َ َ ْ َ‬ ‫ََََْ‬
‫‪Å‬ﺰي‬ ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ )‪ ( X‬ﺳﻼم ‪u P‬ﻮ‪ Ð‬وﻫﺎرون )‪ِ ( b‬إﻧﺎ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ ِ‬ ‫ِ ِ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ِ•‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ْ‬
‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‪ِ ( %) n‬إذ‬ ‫ﻤﻦ ا ْ ُ ْ َ َ‬ ‫إ‪#‬ﺎس َ ْ‬ ‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‪َ ( ) n‬و‪f‬ن ْ َ َ‬ ‫ﻋﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا ْ ُ ْ َ‬ ‫ُ َ ْ َ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُْ ْ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ ِ‬ ‫ِِ‬ ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‪ِ ( ) nÆ‬إ<ﻬﻤﺎ ِﻣﻦ ِ ِ‬ ‫ِ ِ‬ ‫ا‬
‫اﷲ َ ُ ْ‬ ‫ﺎﻟﻘ‪َ ( ;) n‬و َ‬ ‫أﺣﺴﻦ ا] َ َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫وﺗﺬرون ْ َ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َْ ُ َ َْ َََ ُ َ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ُ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ َ َْ‬
‫ر‪(j‬ﻢ‬ ‫ِِ‬ ‫ﻟﻘﻮﻣﻪ أﻻ [ﺘﻘﻮن )‪ ( .‬أﺗﺪﻋﻮن |ﻌﻼ‬ ‫ﻗﺎل ِ ِ ِ‬
‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‪n‬‬ ‫ﻋﺒﺎد اﷲ ا ْ ُ ْ َ َ‬ ‫َ َ‬ ‫َ َ ُ ُ َ ُ ْ َُ ْ َ ُ َ‬ ‫آﺑﺎﺋ(ﻢ ْ َ َ‬ ‫ورب َ ِ ُ ُ‬ ‫َ َ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ﻤﺤ‪±‬ون )‪ِ ( M‬إﻻ ِ‬ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻬﻢ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ﻓﻜﺬﺑﻮه‬ ‫(‬ ‫‪F‬‬ ‫)‬ ‫اﻷوﻟ‪n‬‬ ‫ِ‬
‫َ َ َ َْ‬ ‫‪ْ P‬إل َ َ‬ ‫َ َ ٌ ََ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫وﺗﺮ‪Œ‬ﻨﺎ َ َ ْ‬ ‫ََََْ‬
‫ﻳﺎﺳ‪ِ ( %b) n‬إﻧﺎ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ ‪ِÅ‬ﺰي‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ )‪ ( X‬ﺳﻼم‬ ‫ِِ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ِ•‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫)‪( V‬‬
‫ْ‬ ‫ﻤﻦ ا ُ ْ َ َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ﻮﻃﺎ َ‬ ‫ُ‬
‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‪َ ( % ) n‬و‪f‬ن ً‬ ‫ﻋﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا ُ ْ َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ُ ْ َ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُْ ْ‬
‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‪ِ ( %%) n‬إذ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫إﻧﻪ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫(‬ ‫‪%‬‬ ‫)‬ ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‪nÆ‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ا‬
‫دﻣﺮﻧﺎ َ َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫َ َْ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫أ‪Ò‬ﻌ‪ ( %.) n‬إﻻ َ ُ ً‬ ‫وأﻫﻠﻪ ْ َ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫‪Å‬ﻴﻨﺎه َ ْ ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َْ ُ‬ ‫َ‬
‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ )‪( %F‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺮ?ﻦ );‪» ( %‬ﻢ‬ ‫ِ َِ‬ ‫ﻋﺠﻮزا ِ•‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ﻳﻮ‪Ô‬ﺲ َ َ‬ ‫[ﻌﻘﻠﻮن )‪َ ( %V‬و‪f‬ن ُ ُ َ‬ ‫َ ْ ََ َْ ُ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ُ ْ ََ ُ ‪ْ 1 َْ َ َ 1‬‬
‫ﻤﻦ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫أﻓﻼ‬ ‫ﻠﻴﻞ‬
‫ِ ِ‬ ‫و‪j‬ﺎ‬ ‫(‬ ‫‪%M‬‬ ‫)‬ ‫ﻣﺼﺒﺤ‪n‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫و‪f‬ﻧ(ﻢ ‪$‬ﻤﺮون‬ ‫ِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ُْ ْ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ْ َ َ َ ُْ ْ َْ ْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ْ‬
‫ﻤﺪﺣﻀ‪( . ) n‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ﻤﺸﺤﻮن )‪ ( .b‬ﻓﺴﺎﻫﻢ ﻓ‪Ç‬ن ِﻣﻦ ا‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫اﻟﻔﻠﻚ ا‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‪ِ ( %X) n‬إذ أ|ﻖ ِإ‪R‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ا‬
‫َ‬ ‫َْ‬ ‫ََ َ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ ا ْ ُ َ ‪َ L‬‬ ‫”ن ْ‬ ‫َََْ ُ َ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫وﻫﻮ ُ ٌ‬ ‫ا‪¤‬ﻮت َ ُ َ‬ ‫ﻓﺎ‪$‬ﻘﻤﻪ ْ ُ ُ‬ ‫َ َْ َ َ ُ‬
‫|ﻄﻨﻪ ِإ‪R‬‬ ‫ﻠﺒﺚ ِ• ِ ِ‬ ‫ﻤﺴﺒﺤ‪ِ ( .%) n‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫‪u‬ﻠﻴﻢ ) ‪ ( .‬ﻓﻠﻮﻻ ‪Î‬ﻧﻪ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ََ ََْ َ َْ َ َ َ ً ‪ْ َ L‬‬ ‫وﻫﻮ َ ٌ‬ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺮاء َ ُ َ‬ ‫‪ª‬ﻨﺒﺬﻧﺎهُ ْ َ َ‬ ‫َََ َْ‬ ‫َْ َُُْ َ‬
‫“ﻘﻄ‪n‬‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺷﺠﺮة ﻣﻦ ِ ٍ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ﺳﻘﻴﻢ );‪ ( .‬وأﻧ‪Ê‬ﺘﻨﺎ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫“ﺒﻌﺜﻮن )‪( ..‬‬ ‫ﻳﻮم‬
‫ِ‬
‫َ َُ ََ َْ ُ ْ َ‬ ‫ْ َ ُ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫)‪ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ( .F‬‬ ‫َ‬
‫ﺣ‪( .V) n‬‬ ‫ﻳﺰ?ﺪون )‪ ( .M‬ﻓﺂﻣﻨﻮا ‪ª‬ﻤﺘﻌﻨﺎﻫﻢ ِإ‪ٍ ِ R‬‬ ‫أﻟﻒ أو ِ‬ ‫ﻣﺌﺔ ٍ‬ ‫وأرﺳﻠﻨﺎه ِإ‪ِ ِ R‬‬
‫‪And Noah prayed to Us; Thus how gracious are We in listening to‬‬
‫‪prayers! And We delivered him and his people from a mighty scourge‬‬
‫‪and made his descendants the sole survivors. And We left on his way a‬‬
Sūrah S@āffāt 25
group from the later generations: “Peace be to Noah among all people of
the world!” Thus do We reward who do deeds in a befitting manner.
Indeed, he was one of Our believing servants. Then the others We
drowned. (75-82)
And to this group belonged Abraham also, when he came to the
presence of his Lord with a pure heart. When he said to his father and to
his people: “What are these that you worship? Do you desire false deities
instead of God? Then what do you think of the Lord of the Universe?”
So he lifted up his eyes to the stars and said: “I am feeling tired.” So his
people left him and went off. He then stole away to their idols and said to
them: “Will you not eat? What is it; you do not speak?” Then he struck
them a heavy blow. So people came running to him. He said: “Would
you worship that which you have carved with your own hands; It is God
who created you and all that you make.” They said: “Make a building for
him and cast him into the blazing flames.” Thus they tried to plot against
him: but We abased them all. And he said: “I am going to my Lord; He
will guide me. Lord! Grant me a righteous son.” So We gave him news
of a steadfast son. (83-101)
Thus when he reached the age to walk about with him, he said: “My
son! I dream that I am sacrificing you. So consider what you think.” He
replied: “Father, do as you are being directed. God willing, you shall find
me steadfast.” Thus when they had both consigned themselves to God,
and Abraham had laid down his son prostrate upon his forehead and We
called out to him, saying: “Abraham! you have fulfilled your dream.”
Thus do We reward those who do deeds befittingly. This indeed was an
open trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. And We left on
his ways a group from the later generations. Peace be on Abraham! Thus
do We reward those who do deeds in a befitting manner. Indeed, he was
one of Our believing servants. And We gave him glad tidings of Isaac, a
prophet from among the righteous. And We blessed him and Isaac both.
And among their offspring are those who do deeds in a befitting manner
and others who clearly sin against their souls. (102-113)
And We showed favour to Moses and to Aaron and delivered them and
all their people from a mighty calamity. And We helped them; and so
they became victorious. And We gave them a Glorious Book and guided
them to the straight path. And We left on their ways a group from the
later generations. Peace be on Moses and Aaron! Thus do We reward
those who do deeds befittingly. Indeed, both of them were from among
Our believing servants. (114-122)
And Ilyās too was from among the messengers when he said to this
people: “Have you no fear? Do you invoke Ba‘l and forsake the best of
Sūrah S@āffāt 26
Creators? – God Who is your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.”
But they rejected him, and will thus be among those seized. Not so
God’s servants. And We left on their ways a group from the later
generations. Peace be on Ilyās and his followers! Thus do We reward
those who do deeds befittingly. Indeed, he was from among Our
believing servants. (123-132)
And indeed Lot was also among the messengers when We delivered
him and all his kinsfolk, except for an old woman who was among those
who stayed behind. Then We destroyed others. And you pass by their
settlements morning and evening; so do you not understand? (133-138)
And indeed Jonah was also among the messengers. Recall when he
fled to a laden ship. Thus lots were cast and he was pushed away. Thus a
fish swallowed him and was blameworthy of rebuke. So had he not been
among those who extol the Lord he would have remained in its belly till
the Day of Resurrection. We thus placed him on dry land and he was
exhausted and caused a creeper tree to grow over him. And We sent him
to a nation a hundred thousand strong in fact even more. Thus they
professed faith in him; so We let them benefit from pleasures for awhile.
(139-148)

Explanation
َ ُ ُْ َ ْ ََ ٌ ُ َ َ َ ْ َََ
40
(M;) ‫ﻤﺠﻴﺒﻮن‬
ِ ‫ﻓﻠﻨﻌﻢ ا‬
ِ ‫وﻟﻘﺪ ﻧﺎداﻧﺎ ﻧﻮح‬
This is a reference to the supplication made by Noah (sws) before his
Lord when after a very long time of preaching to his people he had lost
hope in they embracing faith. It has been mentioned in verses 117 and
118 of Sūrah Shu‘arā’ earlier. In Sūrah Nūh@, his invocation is mentioned
in detail. Its last words are as follows:
1 ُ ْ ُْ ََ
َ َ َ ‫ﻳﻀﻠﻮا‬
‫ﻋﺒﺎدك‬
َ ً َ َ َْ َ َْْ Pََ ْ َ َ َ L ٌ ُ َ ََ
ِ ِ ‫ﻓﺮ?ﻦ دﻳﺎرا ِإﻧﻚ ِإن ﺗﺬرﻫﻢ‬Ç‫اﻟ‬
ِِ ‫اﻷرض ِﻣﻦ‬
ِ ‫وﻗﺎل ﻧﻮح رب ﻻ ﺗﺬر‬
ً َ ‫ﻓﺎﺟﺮا‬ً َ ‫وا إﻻ‬Ø‫ﻳ‬ ََ
ُ َ ‫وﻻ‬
( M- F :M ) ‫ﻛﻔﺎرا‬ ِ ِ ِ
And Noah said: “O Lord! Leave not one of these disbelievers in the
land. If You spare them, they will mislead Your servants and will
beget none but sinners and disbelievers.” (71:26-27)

This invocation was made by Noah (sws) when he had exhausted all
his energy. Hence, his pleading was answered by God forthwith. Thus all
except those who professed faith in him were drowned, In Sūrah Nūh@,

40. And Noah prayed to Us; Thus how gracious are We in listening to prayers!
Sūrah S@āffāt 27
the fate of these wretched people is stated in the following words:

ً َ َ ُ L َُ ُ َ ْ َ َ ً َ ُ ْ َُ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ َ
( ; :M ) ‫اﷲ أﻧﺼﺎرا‬
ِ ‫دون‬
ِ ‫ﺪوا ﻬﻢ ﻣﻦ‬Ù
ِ ‫ﻓﺄدﺧﻠﻮا ﻧﺎرا ﻓﻠﻢ‬
ِ ‫أﻏﺮﻗﻮا‬
ِ ‫ﺧﻄﻴﺌﺎﺗﻬﻢ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻤﺎ‬uِ
Because of their misdeeds they were drowned; then were cast into a
great Fire. And they found none to help them against Allah. (71:25)

The verse under discussion is meant to assure the Prophet (sws) and his
companions; they should bear adverse circumstances with patience; God
is not unaware of their supplications and untiring efforts; when the truth
is conclusively delivered to his people, he will see how the help of God
appears and how his enemies are routed.

َ َ ْ ‫ﻫﻢ‬
(MM) nx‫ا¸ﺎ‬
َْ َ َ َ
ُ َ L ُ ‫وﺟﻌﻠﻨﺎ‬
ْ ُ ‫ذر?ﺘﻪ‬ َ ْ ْ َ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
(MF) ‫اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ‬ ُ َ ْ َ َ ‫ﻴﻨﺎه‬Å‫و‬
َ ِ ‫وأﻫﻠﻪ‬ ُ َْ َ َ
ِ ِ ِ ‫اﻟﻜﺮب‬
41
ِ
The verses state that the Almighty protected Noah (sws) and his
َ ْ َ calamity with which all of his people were
companions from the great
afflicted. The word ‫ أﻫﻞ‬refers to all his family and clan who had
embraced faith. Though this word can also refer to the followers of a
person, yet it seems that only a few from among the progeny of Noah
(sws) professed faith in him, and it was these who remained alive after
the deluge and the world was populated through them later. All others
were drowned because of their rebelliousness.

َ ْ ََََْ
ْ َ َ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫وﺗﺮ‬
42
(MV) ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِِ •ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬
ِ
In this sentence, a governing noun (mud@āf) and the object of the verb
َََْ
‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫ﺗﺮ‬ is suppressed as per the linguistic principles of Arabic. If this
suppression is accounted for, the whole sentence would be: “We left on
his ways a group from among the later generations.” This is an allusion
to the success of his preaching mission: in spite of the animosity of his
enemies, the Almighty made his propagation flourish; amongst the later
generations came those who furthered this cause and his enemies were
exterminated.
This verse too gives glad tidings to the Prophet (sws) that the Almighty
will cause his preaching mission to grow and spread, it will persist in
later generations and those who are opposing him today will be routed
such that no one will remain to even take their name.

41. And We delivered him and his people from a mighty scourge and made
his descendants the sole survivors.
42. And We left on his way a group from the later generations.
Sūrah S@āffāt 28

َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُْ َْ َ َ َ َ ْ • ‫ﻧﻮح‬
َ َ ‫اﻟﻌﺎ‬ ُ ََ ٌ َ َ
‫ﻋﺒﺎدﻧﺎ‬
ِ ِ ‫( ِإﻧﻪ ِﻣﻦ‬Vb) nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺰي ا‬Å
ِ ‫ﻚ‬ ِ ‫ﻛﺬ‬ ‫إﻧﺎ‬
ِ ( MX ) n‫ﻤ‬ِ ِ ٍ P ‫ﺳﻼم‬
َ َ ْ ‫ﻨﺎ‬x‫أﻏﺮ‬ َ
ََْْ ُ َ ْ ُْ‫ا‬
43
(V ) ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِ ‫( »ﻢ‬V ) n‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬
ِِ
These verses praise and laud Noah (sws) and also give glad tidings to
him regarding his success in this world and the next: the status he has
achieved in this world was not achieved by anyone before. He stands
unrivalled in this regard.
َ ْ ُْ َْ َ َ َ
The words nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﺰي ا‬Åِ ‫ ِإﻧﺎ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬declare the fact that this matter is not
merely specific to Noah (sws); on the contrary, God always dealt in this
way with those who befittingly conducted themselves and in future also
He will deal with such people in this manner. This blessing is not
specific to a person; it is rather specific to a quality of a person: those
who conduct themselves with ih@sān will be rewarded in this way by God.
The word ih@sān has been explained at many places in this exegesis. It
means to follow the directives of God with full sincerity.
َ ْ ُْ َ َ ْ ُ ُْ
In the expression n‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻋﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا‬
ِ ِ ‫ ِإﻧﻪ ِﻣﻦ‬the word ‫ﺆﻣﻦ‬u
ِ is in its complete
meaning. This expression is also meant to praise and laud Noah (sws)
and means: he indeed was among those of our people who well and truly
believed. The implication is that those who lay claim to faith and take to
preaching they should try to follow this exemplary attitude. This is the
real requirement of faith. People who in this manner well and truly
believe in fact conduct themselves with ih@sān. For such people is the
َ ْ ََْْ َ ُ
blessed status which Noah (sws) was able to acquire.
َ
The verse ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬ ‫ﻨﺎ‬x‫ »ﻢ أﻏﺮ‬means that the Almighty sifted out those who
ِ
had this quality of ih@sān in them; the rest were drowned by Him. This is
the very purpose of creating this world: God will sift from it those who
have this quality in them; the rest will be cast into Hell like waste
material.

َ َ ْ َ ‫ﺷﻴﻌﺘﻪ‬
(V%) ‫ﻹﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ‬ َ َ
44
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ن ِﻣﻦ‬f‫و‬
ِ
After Noah (sws), the most celebrated prophet and messenger of God
is Abraham (sws). About the latter it is said that he belongs to the same
group and category as Noah (sws). Precisely the same preaching call was
given by Abraham (sws) to his nation as the one given by Noah (sws) to

43. “Peace be to Noah among all people of the world!” Thus do We reward
who do deeds in a befitting manner. Indeed, he was one of Our believing
servants. Then the others We drowned.
44. And to this group belonged Abraham also.
Sūrah S@āffāt 29
his nation, and both exhibited the same level of faith and sincerity for the
cause of God. In verse 78 above it was said that the Almighty left a
group of people among the later generations on the way of Noah (sws).
The reference here is to Abraham (sws) and his followers. Abraham
(sws) preached and followed the way of Noah (sws). It may be kept in
mind here that the way of all prophets of God is the same and that is the
way of Islam. This issue has already been explained at an appropriate
place of this exegesis.
Here it also needs to be kept in consideration that according to the
Talmud, Abraham (sws) was instructed and trained by Noah (sws).
Though I am not convinced of this; however, if this claim is considered
to be true then this can be counted as another aspect which make
Abraham (sws) among the group and category of Noah (sws).
َ ْ َ ‫ﻪ‬j‫ر‬
(V.) ‫ﺳﻠﻴﻢ‬
ْ
ُ َ ‫إذ َﺟﺎء‬
ٍ ِ ‫ﺑﻘﻠﺐ‬
45
ٍ ِ ِ
This verse expresses the total devotion and dedication as well as the
perfect and complete َْ sincerity of Abraham (sws) towards God. The
expression ‫ﺳﻠﻴﻢ‬
َ
ٍ ِ ‫ﻗﻠﺐ‬ ٍ refers to a heart which is totally free of theٌ َ ُ ailments
َ َ َ ََْ
of polytheism and ْ hypocrisy. َ It is stated
َ in Sūrah Shu‘arā’: ‫ﻣﺎل‬ ‫ﻳﻨﻔﻊ‬ ‫ﻳﻮم ﻻ‬
َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َُ َ
(VX-VV : F) ‫ﺳﻠﻴﻢ‬
ٍ ِ ‫ﺑﻘﻠﺐ‬ٍ ِ ‫ اﷲ‬Ú‫( وﻻ |ﻨﻮن ِإﻻ ﻣﻦ أ‬Bear in mind the day whereon
neither wealth nor children will avail; only they will succeed who bring
forth to God with a clean heart, (26:88-89)). In other words, this verse
refers to the fact that neither will there be any ailment of polytheism or
hypocrisy in them nor will their allegiance be divided; on the contrary,
their hearts will be free from all types of contamination and all their love
and obedience will be for One God.
َ ُ ُ َ ُ ًَ ً ْ َ َ َُُْ َ َ ََْ َ َ َ ْ
46
(VF) ‫ﺗﺮ?ﺪون‬
ِ ِ‫اﷲ‬ ‫دون‬ ‫ﻬﺔ‬ِ ‫آ‬ Ç‫أﺋﻔ‬
ِ ( V;) ‫[ﻌﺒﺪون‬ ‫وﻗﻮﻣﻪ ﻣﺎذا‬
ِِ ‫ﻷ|ﻴﻪ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ِإذ ﻗﺎل‬
In order to describe Abraham’s devotion and utmost sincerity to God
and commitment to tawh@īd, this verse refers to the call that he gave to his
father and nation.
َ َُُْ َ َ
The words ‫[ﻌﺒﺪون‬ ‫ ﻣﺎذا‬signify humiliation and rebuke. In other words,
he rebuked them by asking them what kind of baseless things they are
worshipping. ً ْ
The word Ç‫ ِﺋﻔ‬means something which is false and baseless. In other
words, the verse actually means: do they falsely and wrongly go after

45. When he came to the presence of his Lord with a pure heart.
46. When he said to his father and to his people: “What are these that you
worship? Do you desire false deities instead of God?
Sūrah S@āffāt 30
other deities besides God?

47
(VM) n‫ﻤ‬ َ ْ ‫ﺑﺮب‬
َ َ ‫اﻟﻌﺎ‬ ُ 1 َ ََ
L َ ‫ﻇﻨ(ﻢ‬ ‫ﻤﺎ‬ª
ِ ِ
This short sentence encompasses very profound meanings. The
implication is that if these people are desirous of other deities besides
God, then what exactly is their estimation of God? Are they under the
false estimation that God alone is powerless to cater for their needs and
to protect them? Is He unable to administer this world independently and
that is why they are after finding helpers for him? Are they under the
false impression that God cannot be aware of every part of this world
and of the circumstances of every person and hence in order to make
Himself aware of this information He needs the help of other means and
sources? Have they lost hope in His justice and mercy so that they have
concocted some intercessors who will help them in procuring His justice
and mercy? The implication is that unless a person has all these bad
estimations about God he can never be as shameful as to tolerate partners
with Him. And if a person has such a bad estimation about God, then he
should remember that, God forbid, the Almighty is not devoid of honour
and self-esteem so that He will put up with the interference of everyone
in His Being and kingdom. On the contrary, He is powerful and strong
and has a deep sense of honour; thus, He will cast into Hell all those who
claim to be His partners in His kingdom or make others His associates.
َ َ ََ َ ْ ُ ‫©ﻨﻪ‬ ْ َ َ َ (VX) ‫ﻴﻢ‬
ُ ْ َ ‫ﺘﻮﻟﻮا‬ª L َ ََ ًَ َْ َ َََ
R‫ﻓﺮاغ ِإ‬ (Xb) ‫ﻣﺪﺑﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِِ
ٌ ‫إ® َﺳﻘ‬
ِ ِ ُ 1 •ِ ‫<ﻈﺮة‬
ِ ‫ﻘﺎل‬ª (VV) ‫ﺠﻮم‬e‫ا‬ ‫ﻨﻈﺮ‬ª
ْ َ
َ ْ ً ْ َ ْ ْ َ َ ‫ﻓﺮاغ‬
(X%) n‫ﻤ‬#‫ﺑﺎ‬
َ ََ َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ُُ َ َ َ ََ ْ َ
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﺎ‬jÉ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬ (X ) ‫ﺗﻨﻄﻘﻮن‬
ِ ‫( ﻣﺎ ﻟ(ﻢ ﻻ‬X ) ‫ﻘﺎل أﻻ ﺗﺄ¿ﻠﻮن‬ª ‫ﻬﺘﻬﻢ‬
ِِ ِ‫آ‬
48
ِ
It seems that the above referred to speech was made by Abraham (sws)
at some eventful occasion in the worship place. After that he made a plan
to make evident to his people the baselessness of their idols. The way he
adopted for this was that when the event ended at night and people
started to leave the place, he cast a glance on the stars as if he wanted to
estimate the time and also informed the people that he was feeling tired.
People thought that since it was late at night and this young man was
tired after a whole day’s outing, he did not want to go back to his house

47. Then what do you think of the Lord of the Universe?”

48. So he lifted up his eyes to the stars and said: “I am feeling tired.” So his
people left him and went off. He then stole away to their idols and said to them:
“Will you not eat? What is it; you do not speak?” Then he struck them a heavy
blow.
Sūrah S@āffāt 31
at that time and wanted to spend the night at the place of worship. This
was quite a trivial issue; hence they left him and went to their homes.
When Abraham (sws) was all alone, he secretly crept to the room where
the idols were kept. At first, he made sarcastic remarks before them: why
are you not eating the food placed before you? And why are you so
silent? Why don’t you speak up? After that, he struck them powerfully
and smashed them to pieces. At another place in the Qur’ān it is said that
he smashed all except the biggest idol. Surah Anbiyā’ points out the
reason for this.
This is a simple portrayal of the whole incident that is evident from the
Qur’ān. However, our exegetes, God knows why, have cited certain
narratives while discussing this incident evident from which is that
Abraham (sws) had lied on this occasion and was also guilty of believing
that the stars had some powers per se.
If Abraham (sws) cast a look at the stars, it was not because he had
such a belief; he only wanted to estimate the time. Until watches were
invented, people observed the stars at night and the sun in the day to
calculate time. Just as today, every person instinctively looks at his
watch to find out the time, in olden times they would look up to the sky
for this purpose. It was for this very purpose that Abraham (sws) had
looked up to the sky. It had nothing to do with superstition of star-
worshippers or the powers ofL stars.
Similarly, his words ‫ﺳﻘﻴﻢ‬ ٌ َ ®‫ إ‬do not reflect a lie. In the Arabic language,
ِ ِ
ٌ
the word ‫ﺳﻘﻴﻢ‬ َ
ِ refers to “a sick person” as well as “a tired person”. If a
discourse is not well-knitted, it is also called ‫ﺳﻘﻴﻢ‬ ٌ َ . In this very sūrah
ِ
ahead, while discussing the Prophet Jonah (sws) it is stated: ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺮاء‬ َ َ ْ ‫ﻨﺒﺬﻧﺎه‬ª
ُ َْ َََ
ٌ َ ‫ﻫﻮ‬ َ ُ ‫( َو‬We thus placed him on dry land while he was worn ِ
( .; :%M) ‫ﺳﻘﻴﻢ‬ِ
out, (37:145)). Obviously, here this word is used to mean “one who is
weak and feeble.” It is indicated earlier that the occasion was of some
festivity in the worship place. On such occasions, every person gets tired
and feels weak to some extent. Abraham (sws) felt this as well and since
he wanted to spend the night in the worship place he, by glancing at the
sky and uttering these words, gave this impression to the guards and
keepers that because of tiredness and because of the fact that it was late
at night he did not want to go back to his home and wanted to spend the
night there. In this manner, though he used double-meaning words to
spend the night there as a result of which the guards were led to believe
him these words can in no way be considered as a lie or reflecting some
evil belief. Such examples of double-meaning words can be seen in the
previous pages of this exegesis.
The words ‫ﻣﺪﺑﺮ?ﻦ‬ َ ْ ُ ‫©ﻨﻪ‬ ْ َ َ َ portray the response of the guards and those
ُ ْ َ ‫ﺘﻮﻟﻮا‬ª
ِِ
Sūrah S@āffāt 32
in charge. They gathered from the style and words of Abraham (sws) that
the young man was weary and since it was late at night, he did not want to
go home. They regarded this wish to be absolutely harmless; hence they
did not interfere in it and leaving him َ alone went back to their homes.
Consider next the portion ‫ﻬﺘﻬﻢ‬ ْ َ ‫ آ‬R‫ﻓﺮاغ َإ‬َ َ . The verbal noun ‫ن‬ž‫ رو‬means to
ِِ ِ ِ
secretly and furtively go to or arrive at some place. It is thus evident
from this word that he made his move when he thought that the guards
had fallen a sleep. He then secretly crept to the place where the idols
َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ُ ُ َْ ََ َ َ َ
were kept.
The words ‫ﺗﻨﻄﻘﻮن‬ ِ ‫ﻘﺎل أﻻ ﺗﺄ¿ﻠﻮن ﻣﺎ ﻟ(ﻢ ﻻ‬ª show that at first he uttered
some sarcastic remarks: Why don’t you eat these delicious meals and
desserts? Why are you so quiet? Why don’t you speak up? It is evident
from these remarks that at the time when Abraham (sws) made his move
he was not worried at all; in fact, he was in a very jolly mood that he has
been provided with a very opportune moment to entertain these Gods
and that his scheme was successful.
sentence n‫ﻤ‬#‫ﺑﺎ‬ ِ َ ْ ‫ﺎ‬jÉ
ً ْ َ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬ َ ََ
ْ ْ َ َ ‫ﻓﺮاغ‬
The
َْ ًconstruction
ْ َ ْ ُ ُ
ofَ the
ْ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ ِ ِ ِ is actually
n‫ﻤ‬#‫ﺑﺎ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﺎ‬jÉ ‫ﻬﻢ‬j±# ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬
ِ ‫ﻓﺮاغ‬. Hence, an accurate translation of this verse
would be: “He pounced on them to strike them with a mighty blow.” The
word n‫ﻳﻤ‬ َ
ِ is used for the right hand, and since the blow struck by the
right hand is hefty, here it is used to connote a mighty blow.
َ 1 َ َْ َََُْ
49
(X.) ‫ﻳﺰﻓﻮن‬
ِ ‫ﻪ‬#‫إ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺒﻠﻮا‬x‫ﻓﺄ‬
Here a part of the whole account is suppressed that can understood in
the light of what is mentioned in Sūrah Anbiyā’. When Abraham (sws)
broke the idols, no one came to know of it at that time. Later, when the
guards were informed of the incident, they cast the blame on Abraham
(sws). They formed this opinion because they had heard him censure the
idols, and had also sounded a warning that he will make a scheme
against them. As a result, everyone came running to Abraham (sws) and
started investigating him. At first, he made fun of the people and while
pointing to the big idol retorted that it is he who must have done all this.
At the same time, to make them realize their foolishness asked them to
inquire from the idols what has struck them instead of inquiring from
him; if they cannot subvert a calamity that struck them nor describe it,
then what good are they? This argument by Abraham (sws) initially
made them feel embarrassed but later emotional frenzy got the better of
them and they replied that how can they ask their idols when Abraham

49. So people came running to him.

Sūrah S@āffāt 33
knows that they cannot speak. Abraham (sws) then rebuked and
admonished them on this confession of theirs. At this, they got angry and
conspired to burn Abraham (sws). However, the Almighty did not let
them succeed in their evil designs.

َ ََُْ ََ ْ ُ ََ َ ُ َ َ ُ َْ َ َ ُ ُْ ََ َ َ
50
(XF) ‫[ﻌﻤﻠﻮن‬ ‫( واﷲ ﺧﻠﻘ(ﻢ وﻣﺎ‬X;) ‫[ﻨﺤﺘﻮن‬
ِ ‫ﻗﺎل أ[ﻌﺒﺪون ﻣﺎ‬
Abraham (sws) rebuked his people in this manner when he had
conclusively delivered the truth to them, as indicated earlier. He cried out
to them: O wretched people, you worship idols that you carve out
yourselves from wood and stone. God is worshipped because He created
all of us; but such is your foolishness that you are worshipping what you
have created from your very hands; in other words, you are the creators of
your own creator; you should bear in mind that it is God who has created
you as well as the wood and stones from which you carve out your idols
and He has also created the jinn and angels whose statues you carve out.
َ ََُْ ََ
Some scholastics have argued that the words ‫ وﻣﺎ [ﻌﻤﻠﻮن‬refer to the fact
that God is also the creator of the deeds and actions of people. This
interpretation from the verse is absolutely against the context and
occasion. I have explained its true interpretation; hence, no need is left
for its refutation.
َ َ ْ َ ْ ‫ﻓﺠﻌﻠﻨﺎﻫﻢ‬
ُ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫ﻛﻴﺪا‬
ًَْ ُ َََ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ‫ﻴﺎﻧﺎ‬Æ‫ﺑ‬
ً َُْ َُ ُْ ُ َ
51
(XV) n‫اﻷﺳﻔﻠ‬
ِ ‫ﺑﻪ‬
ِِ ‫ﻓﺄرادوا‬ ( XM) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬
ِ ِ •ِ ‫ﻓﺄﻟﻘﻮه‬ i ‫ﻗﺎ ﻮا ا|ﻨﻮا‬
After this clear opposition by Abraham (sws), those in charge of the
worship place took a decision to burn him in fire; however, instead of
executing this plan openly, they tried to do َ it through a secret scheme.
ًَْ ُ َ َ
This is evident from the words ‫ﺑﻪ ﻛﻴﺪا‬ ِ ِ ‫( ﻓﺄرادوا‬so they tried to scheme
against him). The reason that they went for this covert scheme could be
to not let Abraham (sws) escape and it could also be that his family
would not cause any impediment in its execution. In tribal societies,
tribal support has great significance. Thus it was precisely because of
this reason that for a certain period of time the Quraysh were hesitant in
openly adopting any aggression against Muh@ammad (sws).
It is difficult to answer what actual scheme they adopted against
Abraham (sws). There is nothing in the Qur’an and the Torah that can
help us in finding a definite answer to this question. What best can be

50. He said: “Would you worship that which you have carved with your own
hands; God who created you and all that you make.”
51. They said: “Make a building for him and cast him into the blazing
flames.” Thus they tried to plot against him: but We abased them all.
Sūrah S@āffāt 34
gathered from the verses is that the priests of the temple schemed to
deceptively lure Abraham (sws) to the place where a great fire had been
lit up and he be cast into it. From other places of the Qur’ān, it is evident
that Abraham (sws) was cast into the fire but God’s power and mercy
protected him from it and the scheme of his enemies was aborted.
َْ َ Lَ َ ٌ َ L َ ََ
52
(XX) ‫ﺳﻴﻬﺪﻳﻦ‬
ِ ِ °‫ ر‬R‫ذاﻫﺐ ِإ‬
ِ ®‫وﻗﺎل ِإ‬
After this incident, Abraham (sws) lost hope in his people professing
faith and decided to migrate from there. The decision of migration is a
very important decision. This is because a prophet has to decide to sever
his connection from his environment and enter into a new one – and it
cannot be known if this new environment is conducive to him. For this
reason in this cause he reposes all his trust and faith in the help and
َْ َ
support of God. The word ‫ﺳﻴﻬﺪﻳﻦ‬
ِ ِ reflects his confidence that though he
does not know what the future has in store for him but he is hopeful that
God will guide him; it is his promise that those who strive in His cause
are guided by Him.

َ
( bb) n¤‫ﺼﺎ‬ ْ َ ‫رب‬
َ ِ - ‫ﻫﺐ‬
‫ﻣﻦ ا‬ L َ
53
ِِ ِ
Once a person severs his relationship with his relatives, family and tribe
his greatest need is good companions. Thus, while migrating, Abraham
(sws) prayed to God to grant him good companions in place of these evil
ones. In my opinion, this prayer of Abraham (sws) does not merely relate
to righteous offspring; it also relates to good companions and supporters.
Pious offspring are the foremost companions among such a group.

َ ٍ َ ُ ‫ﻧﺎه‬yÊ‫ﻓ‬
( b ) ‫ﺣﻠﻴﻢ‬ ُ َْ ََ
ٍ ِ ‫ﺑﻐﻼم‬
54
ِ
The Almighty accepted this prayer and gave him glad tidings of a son.
It is quite obvious that the son referred to here is Ishmael (sws). Some of
the reasons for this inference are very evident:
Firstly, he was the sole child of Abraham (sws) for which he prayed to
God. Regarding Isaac (sws) I have already explained at an appropriate
place that Abraham (sws) never prayed for him; he was granted to him as
a reward for Ishmael’s sacrifice.
Secondly, the succeeding verses mention his sacrifice and Abraham

52. And he said: “I am going to my Lord; He will guide me.

53. Lord! Grant me a righteous son.”
54. So We gave him news of a steadfast son.
Sūrah S@āffāt 35
(sws) sacrificed him and not Isaac (sws). The interpolations made by the
Jews in this incident have been exposed by my mentor Imām H@amīd al-
Dīn Farāhī in his book: Fī man huwa al-dhabīh (Which of Abraham’s
son was Sacrificed?) Those interested can consult this book.
Thirdly, the verse mentions the word ‫ﺣﻠﻴﻢ‬ٌ َ as a quality of this son. This
ِ
quality signifies his steadfastness and fortitude that he showed before the
knife of his father. It was a result of this behaviour that the Almighty
ْ ُ َ ٌ َ (patient)
conferred the titles of ‫ﺻﺎدق ا َﻮﻋﺪ‬
ِ (true to his promises) and ‫ﺻﺎﺑﺮ‬
ِ
ٌ
and ‫ﺣﻠﻴﻢ‬
َ
ِ (steadfast) upon him.
It may also be noted that the Qur’ān mentions precisely the same
ٌ َ for Abraham (sws). It is evident from this that Ishmael
quality of ‫ﺣﻠﻴﻢ‬
ِ
(sws) was the most prominent manifestation of his father’s qualities.
َ َ ََ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َُ َْ L َ ََْ َ َ ®‫إ‬
L َُ َ َ َ َْ ََُ َََ ََ
‫ﺗﺮى ﻗﺎل َﻳﺎ‬ ‫ﻚ ﻓﺎﻧﻈﺮ ﻣﺎذا‬k‫® أذ‬Î ‫ﻤﻨﺎم‬ِ ‫أرى ِ• ا‬ ِ Ë| ‫ ﻗﺎل ﻳﺎ‬Ì‫ﻓﻠﻤﺎ ﺑﻠﻎ ﻣﻌﻪ ا ﺴ‬
َ ُ ‫ﺳﺘﺠﺪ® إن َﺷﺎء‬
َ ِ ‫اﷲ‬ ُ َ َ ‫ﺮ‬u‫ﺗﺆ‬ ْ َ ْ ََ
ُ َ ْ ُ ‫ﻌﻞ َﻣﺎ‬ª‫ا‬
55
( b ) ‫ﺼﺎﺑﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِِ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫أﺑﺖ‬
ِ
ْ َ
The word Ì‫ ﺳ‬refers to the age in which a child starts to run and walk
about. The verse states that when the son entered the age of walking and
running about his father, a dream was seen by his father. In this dream,
he saw that God was directing him to sacrifice his son for Him. It has
been indicated earlier that Abraham (sws) was rewarded with Ishmael
(sws) as a result of his prayer at the time when he had migrated from his
family and people to another country. The only thing that was a means of
assurance to him in this alien land was this sole son. Till that time, his
son was in the age of walking about his father and helping him in his
chores. It is evident from the Torah that at that time he was thirteen years
old. Every one can see that at this age a son is loved the most by his
father. Readers can see how tough a trial this was. However, no person
can be truly perfect in his faithfulness to God unless he is ready to
prepare to sacrifice the most beloved thing for God’s cause. For this
reason, Abraham (sws) was put through this trial. Though this directive
was given to him in a dream and what is said in a dream needs to be
interpreted and if Abraham (sws) wanted he could have interpreted this
dream, yet this true and sincere person instead of interpreting the dream
embarked upon obeying
َ َ ُ َ ْ َ what
َ َ ْ ُ exactly
َ َ ‫ﻣﺎذا‬ L َ َ he َ َ ®‫إ‬
was shown.
َ ْ ‫أرى • ا‬ L َُ َ َ َ
The words ‫ﺗﺮى‬ ‫ﻚ ﻓﺎﻧﻈﺮ‬k‫أذ‬ ®Î ‫ﻤﻨ ِﺎم‬ ِ ِ Ë| ‫ ﻗﺎل ﻳﺎ‬show that the

55. Thus when he reached the age to walk about with him, he said: “My son!
I dream that I am sacrificing you. So consider what you think.” He replied:
“Father, do as you are being directed. God willing, you shall find me steadfast.”
Sūrah S@āffāt 36
first step that he took in this regard was to assess the courage of his son.
He informed him that he was seeing a dream in which he was
slaughtering him; he further asked him of his opinion on this dream. It is
evident from the style of the verse that Abraham (sws) saw thisَ dream
َ ْ ُ ْ َ were
more than once. Had he seen it just once the words ‫ﻤﻨﺎم‬ ِ َ ‫رأﻳﺖ ِ• ا‬
more appropriate. Abraham (sws) also explained that though he saw this
dream more than once, yet it was still a dream so that the whole matter is
evident to Ishmael (sws). It seems that he had full faith in Ishmael’s
intellect and understanding. He was hopeful that his intellect will help
َ َ ‫ﻗﺎل َﻳﺎ‬
him reach the right the decision in this regard. َْْ َ َ
It is evident from the words ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ُ ‫ﺳﺘﺠﺪ® إن َﺷﺎء‬
َ ِ ‫اﷲ‬ ُ َ ْ ُ ‫ﻌﻞ َﻣﺎ‬ª‫ا‬
ُ َ َ ‫ﺮ‬u‫ﺗﺆ‬ ‫أﺑﺖ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ
‫ﺼﺎﺑﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِ ِ ‫ ا‬that Ishmael (sws) understood this dream to be a directive of
God and not a mere vision and replied forthwith that his father should
obey it without any hesitation and rest assured that he himself was ready
for it; his father will find him fully steadfast.

( b%) n‫ﻠﺠﺒ‬َ ْ ‫وﺗﻠﻪ‬ َ َ ْ َ ‫ﻓﻠﻤﺎ‬

ُ َ َ ‫أﺳﻠﻤﺎ‬ ََ
56
ِ ِ ِ
َ َ َْ
This verse depicts the actual act of sacrifice. The word ‫أﺳﻠﻢ‬ means to
submit oneself to God. In other words, both the father and the son got
ready for the test. The father took out a knife to slaughter his son and the
son submitted himself for sacrifice. The words imply that the father
prostrated his son before him on his forehead. Some people are of the
opinion that Abraham (sws) took this measure to avoid eye-contact with
his beloved son while slaughtering so that any feeling of sympathy may
not impede the process. Yet in my opinion this interpretation is not
correct. A father who is prepared to slaughter his sole and beloved son
does not need such assurances. In my opinion, the reason for this was
that he wanted to sacrifice his son while the latter was in the state of
prostration; for this reason, he laid him on his forehead. The posture of
prostration is the most likeable in Islam viz a viz proximity to God. At
ْ َْ َ ْ ُ ْ َ
another place, the words used are: ( X :XF) ‫•ب‬x‫وا‬ ِ ‫( واﺳﺠﺪ‬bow down in
prostration and draw near your Lord, (96:19)). This status of the posture
of prostration is acknowledged by earlier religions as well. It may be
noted that this incident happened when the House of God had not been
built and there was no prescribed direction for praying. Had there been a
prescribed direction, Abraham (sws) may have prostrated his son
towards it the way we do so when we sacrifice animals.

56. Thus when they had both consigned themselves to God, and Abraham had
laid down his son prostrate upon his forehead.
Sūrah S@āffāt 37

َ ْ ُْ َْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ‫ﻗﺪ‬
َ ْ 1 ‫ﺻﺪﻗﺖ ا‬ َْ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ََْ ََ
ْ ‫أن َﻳﺎ‬
57
( b;) nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬
ِ ِ ‫ا‬ ‫ﺰي‬Å
ِ ‫ﻚ‬ ِ ‫ﻛﺬ‬ ‫إﻧﺎ‬
ِ ‫ﺮؤ?ﺎ‬ ( b. ) ‫إﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ‬
ِ ِ ‫وﻧﺎد“ﻨﺎه‬
As Abraham (sws) was about to slaughter Ishmael (sws), the Almighty
called out to him and said that he had made his dream come true and the
success he has achieved in this trial is a reward of his befitting behaviour
and sincere attitude. It is in this manner that the Almighty grants success
to such servants of His in various trials.
It has been indicated earlier that whatever is shown in a dream requires
interpretation. The purpose of this dream shown to Abraham (sws) was
to ask him to dedicate his son to the service of God; the purpose was not
that he actually slaughters him. Thus when he got prepared to sacrifice
his son, the real purpose of the dream was fulfilled. So the Almighty
gave him the glad tidings that the purpose of the dream has been
fulfilled; nothing further is required. People who have inferred from this
that the Almighty abrogated His own directive before it was carried out
have gone to uncalled for limits. In the wake of the correct interpretation
of the verse, refutation of this view is not needed.
َ ْ ُْ َْ َ َ َ
It is evident from the words nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﺰي ا‬Å
ِ ‫ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬that people who try to
fulfill all the directives of God in a befitting manner and in a way that
they should be really fulfilled are bestowed with big success by Him in
great trials and also the eternal kingdom of Paradise as a reward. On the
other hand, people who adopt an escapist policy towards religion
gradually lose the ability to face the trials of God. The result of this is
that the doors of success in the Hereafter are closed to them.
َ َْ َ َُ َ َ
ُ ُ ْ ‫ا¸ﻼء ا‬
58
( bF) n‫ﻤﺒ‬
ِ ‫ِإن ﻫﺬا ﻬﻮ‬
The Almighty has praised Abraham (sws) in this verse for his success:
the trial was not trivial; it was a great one. Abraham (sws) came out of it
in flying colours. A trial which is regarded to be great by the Almighty
Himself is undoubtedly great. And if Abraham (sws) succeeded in this
trial in such a manner that God Himself lauded him by the majestic
words ‫ﺮؤ?ﺎ‬
َ ْ َ ‫ﻗﺪ‬
َ ْ 1 ‫ﺻﺪﻗﺖ ا‬ َْ
(you have fulfilled your dream), then there can be
no doubt about the fact that no greater a trial ever took place on this earth
and no greater a success was achieved by anyone than Abraham (sws).

57. And We called out to him, saying: “Abraham! You have fulfilled your
dream.” Thus do We reward those who do deeds befittingly.
58. This indeed was an open trial.
Sūrah S@āffāt 38
ُ ََََْ
َ ْ ‫وﻓﺪ“ﻨﺎه‬
( bM) ‫ﻋﻈﻴﻢ‬
ٍ ِ ‫ﺑﺬﺑﺢ‬
ٍ ِِ
59

The verse states: We ransomed Ishmael (sws) through a great sacrifice.

This is a reference to the fact that the Almighty directed Abraham (sws)
to slaughter a ram in place of his son and this act of slaughter will be
commemorated as a great sacrifice offered by all generations to come. It
is this sacrifice which by being included in the rituals of h@ajj is being
continuously offered from the times of Abraham (sws) till today and will
continue to be offered till the Day of Judgement. Here, it may be kept in
mind that though the ritual of animal sacrifice is found in all ancient
religions starting from Adam (sws), yet no sacrifice has assumed such
significant and universal status as this Abrahamic sacrifice.

َ ْ ََََْ
ْ َ َ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫وﺗﺮ‬
60
( bV) ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِِ •ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬
ِ
This is a repetitive verse. Previously it occurred at the end of Noah’s
anecdote. It has been explained that amongst earlier generations the
Almighty kept a group steadfast on the teachings of Abraham (sws). In
Sūrah Shu‘arā ْ the following prayer of Abraham (sws) was mentioned:
َ ْ َ َ L َ ْ َ
(V. : F) ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِ ِ •ِ ‫ﺻﺪق‬
ٍ ِ ‫ ِﺴﺎن‬- ‫( واﺟﻌﻞ‬Lord! Grant me an abiding
remembrance among later generations, (26:84)). The Almighty accepted
this prayer and granted him eternal fame that stands unparalleled in
history.

َ َْ P ََ ٌ َ َ
61
( bX) ‫إﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺳﻼم‬
This is an independent sentence: may peace and blessings be on
Abraham (sws) in thisَ world and in the next for his truthfulness and
ٌ
sincerity. The word ‫ َﺳﻼم‬is not defined by the article ‫ ال‬to express its
majesty.

َ ْ ُْ َْ َ َ َ
62
( b) nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺰي ا‬Å
ِ ‫ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬
َ َ َ
The word ‫( ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬in this manner) points to the peace and blessings
mentioned in the previous verse. The verse states that the Almighty in
this manner confers peace and blessings to His servants who are sincere
and act in a befitting manner.

59. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.

60. And We left on his ways a group from the later generations.
61. Peace be on Abraham!
62. Thus do We reward those who do deeds befittingly.
Sūrah S@āffāt 39
َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا‬
( ) n‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬
َ َ ْ ُ
63
ِِ ِ ِ ‫ِإﻧﻪ ِﻣﻦ‬
َ ُْ
The word n‫ﺆﻣﻨ‬uِِ is in its complete meaning. Thus the verse would
mean: “Indeed Abraham was from among our thorough believers.”
Evident from this is the essence of faith: it is one which has the spirit of
sincerity and thoroughness in it – one whose example was presented by
Abraham (sws). Not every faith to which a person lays claim to is worthy
in the eyes of God.

64 َ
( ) n¤‫ﺼﺎ‬
ِِ َ L ‫ﻴﺎ‬Ê‫ﺑﺈﺳﺤﻖ َﻧ‬
‫ﻣﻦ ا‬ ُ َ ْ َ ‫َو‬
َ َ ْ ‫ﻧﺎه‬y
ِ ِِ
As reward for success in this trial, the Almighty gave Abraham (sws)
the glad tidings of his second son – Isaac (sws). While giving these glad
tidings to him, the Almighty also stated that the son would be from
among the righteous and that He will confer the status of prophethood on
him. The reason that these traits of a new son were mentioned with his
glad tidings was that the mere birth of another son was of no significance
to Abraham (sws). After Ishmael (sws) his thirst for a child had been
quenched. Thus it is evident from the Torah that when he was given the
glad tidings of the birth of Isaac (sws), he is reported to have said: “I
wish only Ishmael continues to live in your presence.” However, what
could really constitute glad tidings for him was the mention of a son who
would not only be righteous but also be a prophet of God.
It is evident from this discussion that the story concocted by the Jews
that it was Isaac (sws) who was offered for sacrifice by Abraham (sws) is
totally baseless. He was born after the incident of sacrifice. He was not
the one offered for sacrifice; rather he was the son who was given to
Abraham (sws) as reward for offering a sacrifice.

ٌ ُ ‫ﻔﺴﻪ‬eَْL ٌ ََ ٌ ُْ َ L ُ َ َ ْ P‫و‬
َ ‫إﺳﺤﻖ‬ ََ َ َْ َ ََْ ََ
65
( %) n‫ﻣﺒ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻢ‬ِ ‫وﻇﺎ‬ ‫ﺴﻦ‬Ï
ِ ‫ذر?ﺘﻬﻤﺎ‬
ِ ِ ‫وﻣﻦ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬
ِ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫ﺎر‬j‫و‬
َْ َ
The antecedent of the genitive pronoun in ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬
ِ is Ishmael (sws). Those
who regard this antecedent to be Abraham (sws) have grossly erred in
َ L ُ (the
their interpretation. Has this been the case, then the word ‫ذر?ﺘﻬﻤﺎ‬
ُL ِِ
progeny of both) should have been: ‫ذر?ﺘﻪ‬
ِِ (his progeny). This is because

63. Indeed, He was one of Our believing servants.

64. And We gave him glad tidings of Isaac, a prophet from among the
righteous.
65. And We blessed him and Isaac both. And among their offspring are those
who do deeds in a befitting manner and others who clearly sinned against their
souls.
Sūrah S@āffāt 40
Isaac (sws) is not parallel to Abraham (sws) but from among his
progeny.
The verse states that the Almighty blessed both Ishmael (sws) and
Isaac (sws). The progeny of both prospered and multiplied. Among their
progeny, some are righteous and sincere believers like their fathers and
some while totally deviating from their path are inflicted with polytheism
and disbelief and in this manner have become among those who openly
wrong their souls. It is as if both the Ishmaelites and the Israelites are
reminded at a very opportune time of their great ancestors and of the way
they should adopt and of the way they have actually deviated to.
َ ْ َ ‫ﻓﻠﻤﺎ‬
Here a grammatical ْ question َ does َ َ arise: What began with the
conditional clause n‫ﻠﺠﺒ‬
َ ُ َ َ ‫أﺳﻠﻤﺎ‬
‫وﺗﻠﻪ‬
ِ ِ ِ (Thus when they had both
consigned themselves to God) is continuing till this َ verse; so what is the
answer to the conditional particle needs to: ‫( ﻤﺎ‬when)? It has been
explained many times in this exegesis that at times the answer to
conditional clauses like this is suppressed and the intensity of the tone of
the speaker is reflected by this suppression. This suppression is employed
at instances where such is the nature of the answer that words are unable
َ ُ َ ْ َ ‫وﻓﺘﺤﺖ‬
to expressَ their
َ َ َ intensity. A clear example of thisْ is َ coming up in Sūrah
ْ ُ ‫وﻗﺎل‬ َ ُ َ َ
ْ َ ُ َ ‫ﺟﺎؤوﻫﺎ‬ َ ‫ﺮا‬u‫ز‬
ً َ ُ ‫ﻨﺔ‬ ْ َ ‫ا’ﻳﻦ‬
ْ ُ َ ‫ا[ﻘﻮا‬
َ •‫ ا‬R‫ﻬﻢ إ‬j‫ر‬ َ َ
َ ِ ‫وﺳﻴﻖ‬
Zumar: ‫ﻬﻢ‬ ‫أﺑﻮا|ﻬﺎ‬ ِ َ ‫إذا‬
َ ِ Û‫ﺣ‬ ِ ِ ِ
َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ ُْ ْ ُ ْ َ ٌ َ ََُ َ َ
(M% :%X) ‫ﺧﺎ=ﻳﻦ‬
ِ ِ ‫( ﺧﺰ<ﺘﻬﺎ ﺳﻼم ﻋﻠﻴ(ﻢ ِﻃﺒﺘﻢ ﻓﺎدﺧﻠﻮﻫﺎ‬And those who feared their
Lord shall be led in throngs to Paradise. Until when they draw near it and
its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say to them: “Peace be to
you! Be happy; enter it forever.” (39: 73)) It can be seen that in this verse
too the answer to the conditional statement: Until when they draw near it
… is suppressed. This suppression is evident from the intensity of the
discourse. Similar is the case with the verse under discussion. Words are
unable to express the intensity of the suppressed part. However, the
suppression is self-evident: when the father and the son in order to please
the Almighty took this step, one should imagine how many great
blessings of God they became worthy of.

َ ْ ‫اﻟﻜﺮب‬
ْ َ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ ََ ََ ْ َََ
َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ( .) ‫وﻫﺎرون‬
َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ‫ﻴﻨﺎﻫﻤﺎ‬Å‫و‬
َ ِ ‫ﻬﻤﺎ‬u‫وﻗﻮ‬
( ;) ‫اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ‬
ِ ِ ِ Ð‫ﻮ‬u P ‫وﻟﻘﺪ ﻣﻨﻨﺎ‬
َْ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َْ َ ََ
َ ¸‫اﻟﻐﺎ‬
66
( F) n ِِ ‫ﻧﻮا ﻫﻢ‬Ç‫ﻧﺎﻫﻢ ﻓ‬Ñ‫وﻧ‬
The most celebrated of messengers of God after Abraham (sws) were
Moses (sws) and Aaron (sws) who became the pioneers of a great

66. And We showed favour to Moses and to Aaron and delivered them and
all their people from a mighty calamity. And We helped them; so they became
victorious.
Sūrah S@āffāt 41
ummah after defeating a powerful enemy and the sharī‘ah which they
brought reigned over a large area for a long period of time. It is stated
that the Almighty blessed Moses (sws) and Aaron (sws) with the
guidance of the sharī‘ah and delivered them and their people: the
Israelites from a huge burden – slavery of the Pharaoh and helped them.
ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ points to the triumphs
As a result, they triumphed. The word ‫ﻧﺎﻫﻢ‬Ñ‫ﻧ‬
notched up by the Israelites as a nation when they migrated from Egypt.

َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫اط ا‬Ñ
( V) ‫ﻤﺴﺘﻘﻴﻢ‬ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ( M) n‫ﺒ‬Š‫ﻤﺴ‬
َ َ L ‫وﻫﺪ“ﻨﺎﻫﻤﺎ ا‬ َ َ ْ ‫ﻨﺎﻫﻤﺎ‬6‫وآﺗ‬
َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫اﻟﻜﺘﺎب ا‬ َ ُ ََْ َ
67
ِ ِ ِ
َ َ ْ ْ
The expressions n‫ ِﺒ‬Š‫اﻟﻜﺘﺎب ا ُﻤﺴ‬
َ َ ْ
and n‫ﻤﺒ‬ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ
ِ ِ ‫اﻟﻜﺘﺎب ا‬
ِ have the same
meaning. They refer to the Torah. Before it, the Almighty never gave the
sharī‘ah to any ummah in the form of a clear book. People were taught
orally. The Torah has the distinction of being composed of the sharī‘ah
in the form of an arranged and clear book.
Though the Torah was formally only revealed to Moses (sws), yet
since Aaron (sws) was made a co-messenger with him the verse ascribes
the Torah to Aaron (sws) as well. About both of them, it is stated that the
Almighty guided them to the straight path. This mention also secondarily
refutes the blames cast by the Jews on Aaron (sws) and which have been
referred to at an appropriate place in this exegesis.
َْ َ َ َ َ ُ ََ َ ُ ََ ٌ َ َ َ ْ ََََْ
َ ْ َ َ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫وﺗﺮ‬
‫ﺰي‬Å
ِ ‫ ( ِإﻧﺎ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬b) ‫ وﻫﺎرون‬Ð‫ﻮ‬u P ‫ﺳﻼم‬ ( X) ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِِ •ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ‬
ِ
( َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا‬
) n‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬
َ َ ْ َ ُ َ ْ ُْ
68
ِِ ِ ِ ‫ ) ( ِإ<ﻬﻤﺎ ِﻣﻦ‬nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬
ِ ِ ‫ا‬
The above verses are repetitive and thus occur earlier as well where
every part has been fully explained. The implication is that after these
two messengers, people continued to follow their ways; God sent His
mercy and blessings on them and their enemies were humiliated; it is in
this manner that the Almighty rewards those of His servants who are
sincere and befittingly practice religion. In other words, even if today
there are such people, they too will be entitled to God’s mercy and
blessings and God will grant permanence to their ways. Moreover,
bearers of their message will be born and their name will shine in the
annals of history.
Till these verses, celebrated prophets of God and their achievements

67. And We gave them a Glorious Book and guided them to the straight path.
68. And We left on their ways a group from the later generations. Peace be on
Moses and Aaron! Thus do We reward those who do deeds befittingly. Indeed,
both of them were from among Our believing servants.
Sūrah S@āffāt 42
have been mentioned, and they were mentioned in a chronological
sequence. In the succeeding verses, the prophets Ilyās (sws), Lot (sws)
and Jonah (sws) are briefly mentioned.
The Prophet Ilyās is called Elijah in the Torah and he lived around 789
BC. In verse 85 of Sūrah An‘ām, his name is mentioned along with
Zakariyyā (sws), John the Baptist (sws) and Jonah (sws). It is evident
from this that he had the same attributes as these prophets. Some people
think that Ilyās (sws) is actually Idrīs (sws); however, this view is not
correct. Idrīs (sws) is mentioned in the Qur’ān by his own name.
Lot (sws) is a relative of Abraham (sws) and was trained and instructed
by him. Both belong to the same era.
Jonah (sws) is mentioned in detail in Sūrah Yūnus and Sūrah Anbiyā’.
Overwhelmed by his sense of honour for the truth, he migrated from his
people before he was granted permission by God; at this, he was
punished and he went back to his people. After that, he called upon them
to embrace faith which all of them did.
The purpose of mentioning these prophets is the same for which
prophets prior to them were mentioned. Though these prophets were not
able to acquire the same might and power as Noah (sws), Abraham (sws)
and Moses (sws) and they had to work in an alien environment yet God
furthered their work as well and after them their preaching and their
practices continued to survive. The importance of Jonah (sws) being
mentioned in the end is meant to convey a special message: hastiness for
the cause of disseminating the truth even if it is caused by one’s sense of
honour for the truth is not allowed to a prophet; he should keep doing his
work with patience and perseverance. It is only God Who knows when a
nation has become bereft of the potential to accept faith and no further
time should be granted to it.
َ ُ َ َ َ ً ْ َ َ ُ ْ ََ َ ُ َ ََ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻤﻦ ا‬ْ َ ‫ﺎس‬#‫إ‬ َ َ ْ ‫ن‬f‫َو‬
‫وﺗﺬرون‬ ‫ ( أﺗﺪﻋﻮن |ﻌﻼ‬.) ‫ﻟﻘﻮﻣﻪ أﻻ [ﺘﻘﻮن‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫ ( ِإذ ﻗﺎل‬%) n‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ َْ ُ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ
69
( F) n‫اﻷوﻟ‬
ِ ‫آﺑﺎﺋ(ﻢ‬ِ ‫(ﻢ ورب‬j‫ ); ( واﷲ ر‬n‫ا]ﺎﻟﻘ‬ ِ ِ ‫أﺣﺴﻦ‬
Ba‘l is the name of the deity worshipped by the people of Ilyās. It
seems quite probable that the city of Ba‘balak was named after it because
bak is the shortened form of Bakkah which means “city”. Ilyās called to
him people thus: “O Wretched people! While leaving aside Allah, the
Best of Creators Who is your Lord and of your forefathers, you worship

69. And Ilyās too was from among the messengers when he said to this
people: “Have you no fear? Do you invoke Ba‘l and forsake the best of
Creators? – God Who is your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.”
Sūrah S@āffāt 43
Ba‘l.” The expression shows that not only is God their creator; He is the
best of Creators; He created them and blessed them with all abilities of
head and heart; it is He alone Who is nourishing them; He is their Lord
and of all their ancestors; so what is the reason of leaving him and
worshipping Ba‘l? Does he have a role in creating and nourishing them?

َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎد اﷲ ا‬
( V) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬
َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َُ ْ ُ َ ُ ُ َ َ
70
ِ ِ ِ ‫ ( ِإﻻ‬M) ‫ون‬±‫ﻤﺤ‬ ‫ﻓﺈ<ﻬﻢ‬
ِ ‫ﻓﻜﺬﺑﻮه‬
The verse states that his people rejected him as a result of which all of
these rejecters will be presented before God as sinners. Only those will
not suffer this fate who the Almighty chose for His worship, and those
who professed faith in Ilyās (sws).

َ ْ ََََْ
ْ َ َ ‫ﻨﺎ‬Œ‫وﺗﺮ‬
71
( X) ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬
ِِ •ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬
ِ
This is the repetitive verse which occurs after every prophetic
anecdote. The implication is that those who opposed Ilyās (sws) were
forgotten by posterity but God made their name and message live on.

َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا‬
َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُْ َْ َ َ َ ََ ٌ َ َ
َ َ ‫ ْإل‬P
72
( % ) n‫ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬
ِِ ِ ِ ‫ ( ِإﻧﻪ ِﻣﻦ‬% ) nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺰي ا‬Å
ِ ‫ﻚ‬ ِ ‫ﻛﺬ‬ ‫إﻧﺎ‬
ِ ( %b) n‫ﻳﺎﺳ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺳﻼم‬
ْ
َ َ ‫ إل‬is the plural of ‫ﺎس‬# ْ
َ ‫ إ‬and refers to all their progeny
The word n‫ﻳﺎﺳ‬ ِ ِ ِ
and followers. In the Arabic language, such plurals refer to all
components and corollaries of the noun they signify. The Qur’ān has
ْ ْ ْ ُ ْ ُ on similar lines. Evident from
used the plural n‫ﻨ‬6‫ﻃﻮرﺳ‬ ِ ِ of the word ‫ﻃﻮر‬
this is that the blessings and mercy received by a prophet also extend to
his true followers. ْ
َ ْ ُ َْ َ َ َ
The verse nÆ‫ﻤﺤﺴ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﺰي ا‬Å ِ ‫ ِإﻧﺎ ﻛﺬ ِﻚ‬has already been explained. Its repetitive
occurrence is meant to point to the fact that it refers to an established
practice of God. God makes the name of such people endure who display
such faith and virtuosity, and those who oppose such people are
forgotten by later generations.

َ
‫اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺮ?ﻦ‬
َْ
• َ َ ْ َ ‫وأﻫﻠﻪ‬
ً ُ َ ‫ ( إﻻ‬%.) n‫ﻌ‬Ò‫أ‬
‫ﻋﺠﻮزا‬ ُ َ ْ َ َ ‫ﻴﻨﺎه‬Å
ُ َ ْ َ ‫إذ‬
ْ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻤﻦ ا‬ ً ُ ‫ن‬f‫َو‬
َ ‫ﻮﻃﺎ‬
ِِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ( %%) n‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‬ِ ِ ِ
َََ ْ َ َ ْ 1 َْ َ َ 1 ُ ََ ْ ُ َ َ َ ْ َْ َ ُ
‫ﻠﻴﻞ أﻓﻼ‬ِ ‫ﺎ‬j‫و‬
ِ ( %M) n‫ﻣﺼﺒﺤ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬
ِ ‫ﻤﺮون‬$ ‫ﻧ(ﻢ‬f‫و‬ ِ ( %F) ‫اﻵﺧﺮ?ﻦ‬ِ ‫ ( »ﻢ دﻣﺮﻧﺎ‬%;)

70. But they rejected him, and will thus be among those seized. Not so God’s
servants.
71. And We left on their ways a group from the later generations.
72. Peace be on Ilyās and his followers! Thus do We reward those who do
deeds befittingly. Indeed, he was from among Our believing servants.
Sūrah S@āffāt 44
َ ُ َْ
73
( %V) ‫[ﻌﻘﻠﻮن‬
ِ
This is a reference to the account of Lot (sws) and his people. It is
stated that he too was from among the messengers of God; his people
also denied him as a result of which the Almighty delivered him and all
his relatives who professed faith in him from torment, and all the rest
were destroyed. One of his family was his old wife who was among
those who were left behind with his nation because she had deprived
herself of faith; so she was destroyed with the rest. This is because
merely being a relative of a prophet is of no avail; what is of avail is faith
and righteous deeds.
At the end of this section, instead of the repetitive verses which occur
after the accounts of all the previously mentioned prophets, the Quraysh
are addressed and told that since they continue to pass by the settlements
of the people of Lot (sws) day and night in their trade journeys, why
don’t they contemplate that why would the established practice of God
change for them – the established practice of destroying those who deny
their respective messenger. In other words, since the repetitive verses
were self-evident here they were suppressed and an apt admonition was
sounded to the addressees of the sūrah. An occasion for this very
appropriate warning arose with the mention of the settlements of the
people of Lot (sws) by which the Quraysh frequently passed by.
ْ ُْ َ َ ََ ْ
ُ ْ َ ْ ‫اﻟﻔﻠﻚ ا‬ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻤﻦ ا‬
َ َ ‫ﺲ‬Ô‫ﻳﻮ‬
َ ُ ُ ‫ن‬f‫َو‬
74
( .b) ‫ﻤﺸﺤﻮن‬
ِ ِ R‫ ( ِإذ أ|ﻖ ِإ‬%X) n‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‬
ِ ِ ِ
The account of Jonah (sws) has already been mentioned in Sūrah
Yūnus, Sūrah Anbiyā’ and some other sūrahs. At an appropriate place of
this exegesis, I have already pointed out in detail how the narrators of the
Torah have messed up this account. Jonah (sws) was sent to the people
of Nineveh. When his people did not give due consideration to his
preaching, his passionate sense of honour for the truth made him leave
them; he embarked on a ship that was ready to set sail for some
destination. During the journey, the ship was caught in a storm. As per
their tradition, the ship travelers decided that some person has embarked
on it who is a sinner and unless he is off loaded from it into the sea the

73. And indeed Lot was also among the messengers when We delivered him
and all his kinsfolk, except for an old woman who was among those who stayed
behind. Then We destroyed others. And you pass by their settlements morning
and evening; so do you not understand?
74. And indeed Jonah was also among the messengers. Recall when he fled to
a laden ship.
Sūrah S@āffāt 45
ship will not be able to come out of this storm. At last, it was decided
that lots will be cast to find out who that criminal was. The lots fell on
Jonah (sws) and he was thrown into the sea. Here, probably a shark
swallowed him but God saved him because he realized his folly and
extolled the Almighty. The shark spitted him out on a sandy shore. There
in order to save him from the extreme heat of the sun, the Almighty
caused a gourd creeper to grow. Its shade protected him in this state of
weakness. At last, when he fully recovered, the Almighty once again
asked him to go back to his people and to preach his message to them.
This time all the inhabitants of Nineveh – numbering almost one hundred
and fifty thousand – accepted faith.
This account is narrated to the Prophet (sws) and his companions so
that they do not get disappointed at the attitude of their people and
continue with their preaching. A prophet is deployed by the Almighty at
a frontier where good and evil forces are engaged in a conflict; for this
reason, he is not allowed to leave that frontier without the permission of
God even because of a pious motive. The trials ordained by the Almighty
for a prophet have to be endured by him. If he is worried because of one
trial it is possible that while trying to save himself from it he ends up
facing a greater trial. Similarly, the respite needed by a nation in which
the truth is conclusively communicated to it is also essential, as per the
established practice of God in this regard. Moreover, it is only God who
knows when this has been done. Jonah (sws) out of his own estimation
decided that the people of Nineveh will not accept faith even though later
َ َ َ in ‫ﻤﺸﺤﻮن‬ َ َ َ ‫إذ‬
events showed that the whole nation
ْ ُ ْ َ had the
ْ potential to do so.
The word ‫أ|ﻖ‬ ُ ْ َ ْ ‫اﻟﻔﻠﻚ ا‬ R‫إ‬ ‫أ|ﻖ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ refers to the incident when
Jonah (sws) had left his people for some other destination. Prophets of
God never falter because of being overcome with base desires; however,
because of their passion to follow the truth at times they exceed limits.
Though this attitude is not wrong in itself; in fact, is commendable,
however, since prophets of God are a barometer of the truth, so if they
show some imbalance in any way even with this pious motive they are
checked by the Almighty. A similar blemish emanated from Jonah (sws).
When their people did not duly value his preaching, he felt offended and
left them thinking that why should he cast pearls before such people. It
seems that as soon as he made this decision, he found a ship laden with
goods ready to set sail for some destination. The word ‫ﺸﺤﻮن‬u
ُ ْ َ means
ِ
“ship laden with goods.” The purpose of using this word is to show that
being disappointed from his people he wanted to leave them and as per
his wish he even found a ship ready to go to someplace and he
immediately embarked on it. He did not get the chance to fully reflect on
Sūrah S@āffāt 46
the whole issue.

َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ ا‬
( . ) n‫ﻤﺪﺣﻀ‬
َ ََ َ َ َ َ
ْ ‫ن‬Ç‫ﻓ‬ ‫ﻓﺴﺎﻫﻢ‬
75
ِ ِ
As per the tradition to which I have referred to earlier when the time
came to cast lots the inhabitants of the ship chose Jonah (sws) for the
task. The reason for this probably was that he would have been regarded
as the most respectable and dignified person on the ship and the
responsibility of casting lots was deemed appropriate for such a person;
however, ironically the lot fell on Jonah (sws) himself and as per this
divine decree he was pushed away from the ship. It may be kept in mind
that the expression ‫ ﻋﺒﺪ أﺑﻖ‬is used for a slave who has run away from a
chore assigned to him by his master. It was as if Jonah (sws) was
regarded as a run-away slave, and as a punishment for this crime was
cast into the sea by the ship’s inhabitants.

76 ٌ ُ ‫وﻫﻮ‬
( . ) ‫ﻠﻴﻢ‬u ُ ُ ْ ‫ﻘﻤﻪ‬$‫ﻓﺎ‬
َ ُ َ ‫ﻮت‬¤‫ا‬ ُ َ َ َْ َ
ِ
ُ
The word ‫ ﺣﻮت‬signifies a large fish. A sea has large fish like sharks
and whales which can swallow a complete human being. Such a fish
must have swallowed Jonah (sws). The words ‫ﻠﻴﻢ‬u َ ُ َ mean that he
ٌ ُ ‫وﻫﻮ‬
ِ
deserved this calamity which he faced because he had done something
on which the Almighty deemed him worthy of admonition. I have
already indicated earlier that Jonah (sws) was driven by a pious motive
in what he did; however, since he did this without God’s permission he
was chastised by God and such accountability is always commensurate
to one’s status; hence, it was quite stern.
َ َُُْ َْ َ َْ َ ََ َ L َ ُ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ ا‬ َ َ ُ َ َََْ
ْ ‫”ن‬
77
( ..) ‫“ﺒﻌﺜﻮن‬ ‫ﻳﻮم‬
ِ R‫|ﻄﻨﻪ ِإ‬
ِ ِ •ِ ‫ﻠﺒﺚ‬
ِ ( .% ) n‫ﻤﺴﺒﺤ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﻧﻪ‬Î ‫ﻓﻠﻮﻻ‬
The nature of tasbīh@ referred to by the word n‫ﺴﺒﺤ‬u
L ُ
َ َ has already been
ِ
explained at another place in
َ َ ُ ُ Lthisَ َ exegesis:
َ ْ ُ َ َ it َ َ refers to chanting of the
words: (VM : ) n‫ ِإﻻ أﻧﺖ ﺳﺒﺤﺎﻧﻚ ِإ® ﻛﻨﺖ ِﻣﻦ اﻟﻈﺎ ِ ِﻤ‬i‫ﻻ ِإ‬. These are the best of
words which express confession of a sin and seeking of forgiveness from
God. Jonah (sws) chanted it and as a result was delivered from his
predicament. It seems that as soon as this calamity struck Jonah (sws) it
became evident to him that he had been punished by the Almighty and

75. Thus lots were cast and he was pushed away.

76. Thus a fish swallowed him and was blameworthy of rebuke.
77. So had he not been among those who extol the Lord he would have
remained in its belly till the Day of Resurrection.
Sūrah S@āffāt 47
he turned to God with all his heart. The Almighty has informed us that it
was the majesty of the words that he uttered which saved him otherwise
he would have been overtaken by death in the belly of the fish which
swallowed him.
ْ َ L ً َ َ َ َْ َ ََْ ََ َ َ ْ ‫ﻨﺒﺬﻧﺎه‬ª
َ ُ َ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺮاء‬
ٌ َ ‫وﻫﻮ‬ ُ َْ َََ
78
( .F) n‫“ﻘﻄ‬
ٍ ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺷﺠﺮة ﻣﻦ‬ ِ ‫ﺘﻨﺎ‬Ê‫ ( وأﻧ‬.;) ‫ﺳﻘﻴﻢ‬
ِ ِ
Finally, at the behest of the Almighty, the fish threw him up on a sandy
shore; obviously, at that time he must have been very tired and weak.
However, God made a gourd creeper grow above him which protected
him on the sea shore from the heat of the sun and after some time he
regained his calm.
َ ْ ُ َْ ََ َُ َ َ ُ َ َْ َْ َ َ ُ َْ َ ََْ
79
ٍ ِ R‫ﻤﺘﻌﻨﺎﻫﻢ ِإ‬ª ‫ ( ﻓﺂﻣﻨﻮا‬.M) ‫ﻳﺰ?ﺪون‬
( .V) n‫ﺣ‬ ِ ‫أﻟﻒ أو‬
ٍ ‫ﻣﺌﺔ‬
ِ ِ R‫وأرﺳﻠﻨﺎه ِإ‬
Once he regained his calm, the Almighty once again sent him to his
people to preach to them. This time all of them accepted faith and God
delivered them from His punishment and
ْ َ let them enjoy the
ْ َ pleasures of
life till an appointed time. The word ‫( أو‬or) also means ‫( ﺑﻞ‬in fact). It is
evident from the Torah that those who professed faith were one hundred
and fifty thousand.

Section V: Verses (149-182)

Coming up are the closing verses of the sūrah. It ends on the topic it
began with. As pointed out many times before, this style of the Qur’ān
can be seen in numerous sūrahs.
This sūrah began with a refutation of the divinity of the angels and of
the angels having knowledge of the unseen world (ghayb). After that
anecdotes of various prophets were narrated to warn the Quraysh. Evident
from these accounts is that all the prophets preached the same religion as
is being preached to them today. It is also indicated that those who denied
their respective messengers were destroyed. God blessed His messengers
and their companions. Their name and mission prospered and earned
respect in this world and in the next one also they will be given an eternal

78. We thus placed him on dry land and he was exhausted and caused a
creeper tree to grow over him.
79. And We sent him to a nation a hundred thousand strong, in fact even
more. Thus they professed faith in him; so We let them benefit from pleasures
for awhile.
Sūrah S@āffāt 48
kingdom. It is this topic which occurs here at the end of the sūrah in a
new style. First, the Idolaters of the Qurasyh are challenged that if they
have any logical argument for worshipping angels by regarding them to
be daughters of God and for setting up a connection between God and the
jinn, then they should come forth with it; otherwise, they should fear God.
After that, the real status of the angels is explained through the tongue of
Gabriel. This is done to inform these people on their foolishness. They
are told by the greatest person among angels what status and position they
actually have which is quite contrary to the one those who worship them
think. At the end, glad tidings are given to the Prophet (sws) that the
promise of divine help for God’s messengers will be fulfilled in His case
as well; so he should continue doing his work with patience; his
addressees will soon meet their fate.
Readers may now proceed to study the verses.
َ ُ َ ْ َُ ً َ َ َ َ َْ ََْ َ َْ َ َْ ُ َُ َ ُ ََْ َ L َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ
‫ﺷﺎﻫﺪون‬ ِ ‫ﻤﻼﺋ(ﺔ ِإﻧﺎﺛﺎ وﻫﻢ‬ ِ ‫ ( أم ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ ا‬.X) ‫ا¸ ُﻨﻮن‬ ‫ﻚ ا¸ﻨﺎت و ﻬﻢ‬j‫ﻓﺎﺳﺘﻔﺘﻬﻢ أ ِﺮ‬ ِِ
ََ َ َ ْْ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َُ ْ ُ َ ْ ْ L ُ ََ
‫ا¸ﻨﺎت‬ ِ Ü‫ذﺑﻮن ) ; ( أﺻﻄ‬Ç‫ﻟ‬ ِ ‫<ﻬﻢ‬f‫و‬ ِ َ ‫ﻘﻮ ﻮن ) ; ( و= اﷲ‬# ‫إﻓﻜﻬﻢ‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫; ( أﻻ ِإ<ﻬﻢ ﻣﻦ‬b)
ٌ َ ُ ْ ُ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ
ْ ‫ﻟ(ﻢ‬ ْ ُ َ ‫; ( َﻣﺎ‬%) nƸ‫ا‬ َ َْ P ََ
‫ﺳﻠﻄﺎن‬ ‫ﺗﺬﻛﺮون );; ( أم ﻟ(ﻢ‬ ‫; ( أﻓﻼ‬.) ‫ﻜﻤﻮن‬Ý ‫ﻛﻴﻒ‬ ِ
ً َ َ ‫ا•ﻨﺔ‬ ْ َ ََْ ُ ََْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ‫ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬ْ ُ ُ ‫ﺑ(ﺘﺎﺑ(ﻢ إن‬ ْ ُ َ َُْ ٌ 1
‫ﺴﺒﺎ‬Ô ِ ِ nj‫و‬ ‫ﻨﻪ‬6‫ﺑ‬ ‫وﺟﻌﻠﻮا‬ ( ;M ) nx‫ﺻﺎد‬ ِِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻓﺄﺗﻮا‬ ( ;F) n‫ﻣﺒ‬ ِ
َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َُ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ
ِ ‫; ( ِإﻻ ِﻋﺒﺎد‬X) ‫ﻳﺼﻔﻮن‬
‫اﷲ‬ ِ ‫اﷲ ©ﻤﺎ‬ ِ ‫; ( ﺳﺒﺤﺎن‬V) ‫ون‬±‫ا•ﻨﺔ ِإ<ﻬﻢ ﻤﺤ‬ ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻤﺖ‬ ِ ِ ‫َوﻟﻘﺪ‬
َ ُ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
‫ﻫﻮ‬ ْ َ ‫ ( إﻻ‬F ) nÆ‫ﺑﻔﺎﺗ‬ َ َ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬ ْ َ َ ‫أﻧﺘﻢ‬ ْ ُ َ ‫ ( َﻣﺎ‬F ) ‫[ﻌﺒﺪون‬ َ َُُْ ََ ْ ُ َ
‫ﻓﺈﻧ(ﻢ وﻣﺎ‬ َ َ ْ ُْ‫ا‬
ِ ِ ِِ ِ ِ ( Fb) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬ ِ
َ َ 1 ْ َ
ُ َ ‫ﻧﺎ‬f‫ ( َو‬F.) ‫ ﻣﻘﺎم ﻣﻌﻠﻮم‬iُ ‫ ( َوﻣﺎ ِﻣﻨﺎ إﻻ‬F%) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬ ٌ ُ ْ ٌ َ َ َ َ ْ َ
‫ﻧﺎ‬f‫و‬ ِ ( F;) ‫ﺼﺎﻓﻮن‬ ‫ﺤﻦ ا‬e ِ ِ ِ ِ َ ‫ﺻﺎل‬ ِ
( FV) n‫اﻷوﻟ‬ َ َ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ْ L ‫ذﻛﺮا‬ ً ْ ِ ‫ﻋﻨﺪﻧﺎ‬ ََ َ َْ َ ُ ََُ ُ َ ْ َ َ ُ L َ ُْ ُ ْ ََ
ِ ِ ‫ ( ﻮ أن‬FM) ‫ﻘﻮ ﻮن‬# ‫ن ”ﻧﻮا‬f‫و‬ ِ ( FF ) ‫ﻤﺴﺒﺤﻮن‬ ‫ﺤﻦ ا‬e
ْ َ َ َ ‫وﻟﻘﺪ‬ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ َْ َْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ( FX) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ
‫ﺳﺒﻘﺖ‬ ( Mb) ‫“ﻌﻠﻤﻮن‬ ‫ﺑﻪ ﻓﺴﻮف‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻓ(ﻔﺮوا‬ ِ ‫اﷲ ا‬ ِ ‫ﻟﻜﻨﺎ ِﻋﺒﺎد‬
َ ُ َْ ُ َُ َ َ ُ َ ( M ) ‫ﻤﻨﺼﻮرون‬ َ ُ ُ َْ ُ َُ ْ ُ َ ‫ﻤﺮﺳ‬ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﻟﻌﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا‬ َ َ ََُ َ
‫اﻟﻐﺎ¸ﻮن‬ ِ ‫ن ﺟﻨﺪﻧﺎ ﻬﻢ‬f‫و‬ ِ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻬﻢ‬ ‫إ<ﻬﻢ‬ ِ ( M ) n‫ﻠ‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻤﺘﻨﺎ‬¹ ِ
َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُْ ْ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َُْ َََ
‫أﻓﺒﻌﺬاﺑﻨﺎ‬ ِ ِ ( M;) ‫ون‬Ñ‫“ﺒ‬ ِ ‫ﻫﻢ ﻓﺴﻮف‬Ñ‫وأﺑ‬ ِ ( M.) n‫ﺣ‬ ٍ ِ Û‫ﺘﻮل ©ﻨﻬﻢ ﺣ‬ª ( M%)
Û‫©ﻨﻬﻢ َﺣ‬ ْ ُ ْ َ ‫وﺗﻮل‬ َ َ َ ( MM) ‫ﻤﻨﺬر?ﻦ‬ َ َ ُ ْ ‫ﺻﺒﺎح ا‬ ُ َ َ ‫ﻓﺴﺎء‬ َ َ ‫ﺴﺎﺣﺘﻬﻢ‬ْ َ َ ‫ﻧﺰل‬ َََ َ َ
‫ﻓﺈذا‬ ( MF )
َ ُ َْ َْ
‫ﺴﺘﻌﺠﻠﻮن‬T
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ ُ َ َ ْ L َ Lَ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ
ْ َ ْ ْ َ ( MV) n‫ﺣ‬ َ
( Vb) ‫ﻳﺼﻔﻮن‬ ِ ‫اﻟﻌﺰة ©ﻤﺎ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﻚ رب‬j‫ ( ﺳﺒﺤﺎن ر‬MX) ‫ون‬Ñ‫“ﺒ‬ ِ ‫ ﻓﺴﻮف‬Ñ‫وأﺑ‬ ِ ٍ ِ
َ ‫اﻟﻌﺎ‬ َ َ ‫رب‬ ْ L َ ‫ﻤﺪ ﷲ‬¤‫وا‬ ُ ْ ْ َ َ ْ ُ ‫ ا‬P ‫وﺳﻼم‬ ْ َ َ ٌ َ ََ
( V ) n‫ﻤ‬ ِ ِ ِ َ َ ( V ) n‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‬ ِ
So ask them: “Are there daughters for your Lord while there are sons
for themselves? Did We create the angels as women whilst they were
Sūrah S@āffāt 49
seeing?” Beware, these people are falsely saying that God has children
and these people are absolute liars. Has he preferred daughters over
sons? What has come over you? How do you judge so ill? Do you not
take heed? Have you a clear proof? Bring forth your book if what you
say be true! (149-157)
And they have also set up a relationship between God and the jinn.
And the jinn well know that they will be punished. Exalted is God above
their imputations! Not so God’s special servants. Thus neither you nor
those who you worship can lead astray any but those who are set to enter
Hell. (158-163)
And for each of us is an appointed place and We stand arrayed before
God. And We glorify Him. (164-166)
And indeed these people used to say: “Had we any teaching of the
earlier generations we would have been among God’s chosen servants.”
So they rejected it; so they shall soon come to know. (167-170)
And for our special servants sent as messengers this decision of Ours
has been already delivered that they are the ones who shall be worthy of
help and that Our army only is set to be victorious. So pay no heed to
them awhile, and observe them; they shall also soon observe. (171-175)
Do they want to hasten Our punishment? They should remember that
when it descends upon them in their courtyards, evil will be the morning
of those who have been forewarned. So pay no heed to them awhile, and
observe them; they shall also soon observe. (176-179)
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of Glory, above their imputations! And
peace be on the messengers and God alone is worthy of gratitude, Lord
of the universe! (180-182)

Explanation
َ َُْ ُ َُ َ ُ ََْ َ L َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ
80
( .X) ‫¸ﻨﻮن‬ ‫ﻚ ا¸ﻨﺎت و ﻬﻢ ا‬j‫ﻓﺎﺳﺘﻔﺘﻬﻢ أ ِﺮ‬
ِِ
This last section of the sūrah, as referred to earlier is linked to the topic
discussed at the beginning of the sūrah. Though these two parts of the
sūrah seemed to be far distanced from one another, this distance is only
apparent in nature. In reality, the discourse is totally coherent. In the
beginning of the sūrah after a refutation of the divinity of the angels and
ْ ْ َ ْ َ the discourse from verse eleven
the jinn it is with this very word ‫ﻓﺎﺳﺘﻔﺘﻬﻢ‬
ِِ
onwards digressed to threaten and admonish the Quraysh and to assure
the Prophet (sws). This topic continued all through till now. Once it
ْ ْ َ ْ َ was mentioned again to link it to its
ended, the same word ‫ﻓﺎﺳﺘﻔﺘﻬﻢ‬ِِ
80. So ask them: “Are there daughters for your Lord while there are sons for
themselves?
Sūrah S@āffāt 50
previous occurrence and the same topic is taken up. It is said that the
Prophet (sws) should inquire from those who worship these angels by
regarding them to be daughters of God that if they choose sons for
themselves, why do choose daughters for their Lord. The implication is
that in the first place imputing sons and daughters to God is extreme
ignorance but they displayed even more ignorance by choosing for God
something which they would never choose for themselves. It is the
requisite of human intellect and nature that they should have ascribed to
God the traits that He is worthy of. They committed the cardinal sin of
not only attributing to God which was not befitting for Him they ended
up ascribing a feature to him which they themselves regarded to be
shameful for their own selves.
َ َ ْ َُ ً َ َ َ َ َْ ََْ َ َْ
81
( ;b) ‫ﺷﺎﻫ ُﺪون‬
ِ ‫وﻫﻢ‬ ‫إﻧﺎﺛﺎ‬
ِ ‫ﻤﻼﺋ(ﺔ‬
ِ ‫أم ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ ا‬
The verse implies that what is the argument on the basis of which they
confidently claim that angels are the daughters of God? Did they witness
ََ ً َ َْ
the creation of ْ angels ْ by God? In Sūrah Zukhruf, itَ is َ similarly
ْ ُ َُ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َُ َ
said: ‫ﺷﻬﺎد[ﻬﻢ‬ ‫ﺳﺘﻜﺘﺐ‬ ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻬﻢ‬ ُ
‫أﺷﻬﺪوا‬ ‫إﻧﺎﺛﺎ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ا‬ ُ َ ‫ﻫﻢ‬
‫ﻋﺒﺎد‬ ْ ُ ‫’ﻳﻦ‬ َ
َ ِ ‫ﻤﻼﺋ(ﺔ ا‬َ ْ ‫وﺟﻌﻠﻮا ا‬
َُ َ َ
َ
َ ُ َُْ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
( X :.%) ‫ﺴﺄ ﻮن‬T‫و‬ (And they regard the angels who are the servants of the
Most Gracious to be women. Were they present at their birth? This
testimony of theirs has been noted, and they shall be questioned. (43:19))
َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ ََ َ َ ُ ُ ََ ْ ْ ْ L ُ ََ
82
( ; ) ‫ذﺑﻮن‬Ç‫ﻟ‬
ِ ‫<ﻬﻢ‬f‫و‬ ِ ‫اﷲ‬ =‫و‬ ( ; ) ‫ﻮن‬ ‫ﻘﻮ‬# ‫إﻓﻜﻬﻢ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫أﻻ ِإ<ﻬﻢ ﻣﻦ‬
The verse refers to the fact that these people neither have an
intellectual argument nor any scriptural support to back their claim. They
have also no visual proof. They are merely concocting that God has
children. It is then asserted that these people are absolute liars.
َ ُ َ َ َََ َ ُ ُ َْ ََْ ْ ُ َ َ َ َْ P
ََ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ
( ;;) ‫ﺗﺬﻛﺮون‬ ‫; ( أﻓﻼ‬.) ‫ﻜﻤﻮن‬Ý ‫; ( ﻣﺎ ﻟ(ﻢ ﻛﻴﻒ‬%) nƸ‫ا‬ ِ َ Ü‫أﺻﻄ‬
‫ا¸ﻨﺎت‬
83
ِ
The implication of these verses is that if the Almighty was fond of
having children, why would he prefer daughters to sons? If He was also
capable of producing sons why did He tolerate something which the
Idolaters were not ready to put up with unless compelled to.

81. Did We create the angels as women whilst they were seeing?”
82. Beware, these people are falsely saying that God has children and these
people are absolute liars.
83. Has he preferred daughters over sons? What has come over you? How do
you judge so ill? Do you not take heed?
Sūrah S@āffāt 51
َ ُ ُ َْ َْ َ ْ ُ َ َ
The words ‫ﻜﻤﻮن‬Ý ‫ ﻣﺎ ﻟ(ﻢ ﻛﻴﻒ‬imply that what has gone wrong with
َ ُ َ َ ََ
their intellect that theyَ make such a firm and inalterable decision.
The words ‫ﺗﺬﻛﺮون‬ ‫ أﻓﻼ‬refer to the fact that this attitude of theirs bears
witness that they are people who have lost their sense of reason
otherwise why would they have chosen something for God which they
are not prepared to choose for themselves. In other words, this thing is
not something1 which even requires any reasoning; it only requires paying
َ
slight heed (‫ )ﺗﺬﻛﺮ‬to grasp it. A person can very easily come to know of
this unless he is extremely foolish and heedless.

َ َ ُْ ُ ْ ُ َ َُْ ٌ َْ ُ ْ ُ َ َْ
ٌ 1 ‫ﺳﻠﻄﺎن‬
84
( ;M) nx‫ﺻﺎد‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺑ(ﺘﺎﺑ(ﻢ ِإن ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻓﺄﺗﻮا‬ ( ;F) n‫ﻣﺒ‬
ِ ‫أم ﻟ(ﻢ‬
The verse asks the disbelievers to present clear evidence if they have it.
The expression “clear evidence” has been specified by the verse as “a
book.” In other words, if they can back their claim with a testimony from
a divine scripture, they should present it. No one has the right to concoct
anything about God. He can only say something in this regard if he has a
clear argument in its favour. And the clearest of such arguments is His
Book which He has revealed for the guidance of His people.
َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َُ ْ ُ ُ ْ ْ ََ َ ً َ َ ْ َ ََْ ُ ََْ ُ َ َ َ
َ َ ‫وﻟﻘﺪ‬
ِ ‫; ( ﺳﺒﺤﺎن‬V) ‫ون‬±‫ﻤﺤ‬
‫اﷲ‬ ‫ا•ﻨﺔ ِإ<ﻬﻢ‬ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻤﺖ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﺴﺒﺎ‬Ô ‫ا•ﻨﺔ‬
ِ ِ nj‫ﻨﻪ و‬6‫وﺟﻌﻠﻮا ﺑ‬
ْ
َ َ ْ ُ ‫ﻋﺒﺎد اﷲ ا‬ َ َ َ ُ َ َ
85
( Fb) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫; ( ِإﻻ‬X) ‫ﻳﺼﻔﻮن‬
ِ ‫©ﻤﺎ‬
َ ُ َ َ َ ْ
َ ‫ ُﺳﺒﺤﺎن اﷲ ©ﻤﺎ‬is a parenthetical sentence and the verse
The verse ‫ﻳﺼﻔﻮن‬ ِ ِ
َ َ ْ ْ َ َ
ُ ‫ﻋﺒﺎد اﷲ ا‬ َ ُ َ ْ َُ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ََ
n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫إﻻ‬ is actually linked to ‫ون‬±‫ﻤﺤ‬ ‫ا•ﻨﺔ ِإ<ﻬﻢ‬ ِ ِ ‫ َوﻟﻘﺪ‬.
ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻤﺖ‬
Several instances occur in the Qur’ān when something has to be negated
forthwith, then such a negation is inserted in the discourse. This is meant
to show that a certain thing is so evil and horrific that the speaker is not
even ready to wait for the sentence to be completed.
The verses mean that not only were these people imprudent enough to
regard angels to be daughters of God but they went as far in their
foolishness as to establish a link between God and the jinn: they made
the angels as partners in the being of God and made the jinn partners in
the rights and attributes of God. God alone is worthy of being
worshipped but these wretched people regard the jinn to have the
authority to harm and benefit people and to be a means of finding out the

84. Have you a clear proof? Bring forth your book if what you say be true!
85. And they have also set up a relationship between God and the jinn. And
the jinn well know that they will be punished. Exalted is God above their
imputations! Not so God’s special servants.
Sūrah S@āffāt 52
matters of the unseen world (ghayb), and on the basis of this false notion
worship them and present sacrifices andَ vows before them.
َ ُ َ ْ َُ ْ ُ ُ ْ ْ َ َ
َ َ ‫وﻟﻘﺪ‬
The words ‫ون‬±‫ا•ﻨﺔ ِإ<ﻬﻢ ﻤﺤ‬ ِ ‫ﻤﺖ‬ِ ‫ﻋﻠ‬ ِ signify that the jinn themselves
are fully convinced that they are creatures of God and they shall one day
be held accountable before Him; the sinners among them will be
punished for their evil deeds; however, these foolish people have made
them partners of God and started to worship them.
The linking of the jinn to God was something so detestable that it
َ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ
needed an immediate rebuttal. The words ‫ﻳﺼﻔﻮن‬ ِ ‫اﷲ ©ﻤﺎ‬
ِ ‫ ﺳﺒﺤﺎن‬thus occur
right after and say that the exalted person of God is above all such
ascriptions; neither is anyone a partner in His being nor His attributes.
He is one and alone in His being and attributes; for this reason, the rights
He has only belong
َ َ ‫ﻤﺨ‬ْ to Him.
ُ ْ ‫ﻋﺒﺎد اﷲ ا‬
َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َُ ْ ُ
The words n‫ﻠﺼ‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫ ِإﻻ‬are an exception to ‫ون‬±‫ﻤﺤ‬ ‫ ِإ<ﻬﻢ‬. Since
َ ُ َ ُْ
the word ‫ون‬±Ï means that all the jinn will be arrested like criminals
and brought before God the exception is meant to explain that only those
will be saved from this arrest whom the Almighty according to His
established practice guides to the right path because they are worthy of
being guided and are thus protected from the lures of Satan.
It beats me what led Zamaksharī86 to conclude that the jinn referred to
here are angels. I have presented the true interpretation of the verses and
hence a refutation of his view is not needed. The Qur’ān mentions angels
and jinn as two distinct creations having different traits from one another.
There is no possibility of regarding them to be one. What at best can be
said is that the jinn are closer with regard to their substance of creation to
the angels than human beings. This is because the jinn have been created
from fire, the angels from light and human beings from clay.

َ
( F%) ‫ا•ﺤﻴﻢ‬
ْ َ ُ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
َ ‫ﻫﻮ‬
‫ﺻﺎل‬ َ َ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬
ْ َ ‫ ( إﻻ‬F ) nÆ‫ﺑﻔﺎﺗ‬ ْ ُ َ ‫ ( َﻣﺎ‬F ) ‫[ﻌﺒﺪون‬
ْ َ َ ‫أﻧﺘﻢ‬ َ َُُْ ََ ْ ُ َ
‫ﻓﺈﻧ(ﻢ وﻣﺎ‬
ِِ ِ ِ
87
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ َ َْ َ
َْ َ In the expression nÆ‫ﺑﻔﺎﺗ‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬
ِ some exegetes88 have interpreted the word
Þ‫ ﻋ‬to means “against” and the antecedent of the pronoun to be God. I am
not fully convinced of this interpretation; yet if it is accepted it would
mean that in these verses those who worship the jinn are informed that
they and the jinn can lure only those people who because of their misdeeds
are destined to enter Hell. In other words, what the Almighty had said in

86. See: al-Zamakhsharī, Al-Kashshāf, vol. 4, 66.

87. Thus neither you nor those who you worship can lead astray any but those
who are set to enter Hell.
88. See, for example: al-Zamakhsharī, Al-Kashshāf, vol. 4, 67.
Sūrah S@āffāt 53
response to the challenge thrown by Satan is stated here in a different
style. The Almighty had said that Satan will only be able to lead astray
those who follow him; he will not be able to influence people devoted to
God. The purpose of stating this here is that the trials which the Almighty
makes people pass through are not meant to lead them astray; they are
only meant to test them. Satan and his accomplices will not be able to
harm in any way those of God’s people who will try to pass this test.
In the opinion of my mentor, Imām H@amīd al-Dīn Farāhī the
َ َُُْ ََ
antecedent of the genitive pronoun is ‫[ﻌﺒﺪون‬ ‫وﻣﺎ‬. In his opinion, the verse
would mean: You can only make those people vehemently worship these
deities who themselves intend to go to Hell. I am not fully convinced of
this interpretation. I have only referred to it so that it can remain in the
notice of those who want to reflect on these verses.
َ ُ L َ ُْ ُ ْ ََ َ
( FF) ‫ﻤﺴﺒﺤﻮن‬ ‫ﺤﻦ ا‬e ‫ﻧﺎ‬f‫و‬ ( F;)
َ 1
‫ن‬ ‫ﺼﺎﻓﻮ‬ ‫ا‬ ُ ْ َ َ ‫ﻧﺎ‬f‫ ( َو‬F.) ‫ﻣﻌﻠﻮم‬
‫ﺤﻦ‬e ٌ َ َ iُ َ ‫وﻣﺎ ﻣﻨﺎ إﻻ‬
ٌ ُ ْ ‫ﻣﻘﺎم‬ ََ
ِ ِ
89
ِ ِ
The previous verses mention the traits and characteristics of the angels
from the Almighty; in these verses, archangel Gabriel, at the behest of the
Almighty, explains his own status and that of all the angels before God
and what keeps them busy in His presence. The purpose is to disgrace
those people who worship them considering them to be partners of God
so that they hear from the very tongue of the archangel what their status is
in contrast to what these foolish people are ascribing to these angels.
It needs to be kept in mind that there are a number of places in the
Qur’ān where during a discourse something is said directly through the
tongue of Gabriel. Verses 64-65 of Sūrah Maryam present an example of
this. This style is adopted at places where an utterance from the tongue
of Gabriel becomes more eloquent. This is one such instance. The most
effective thing that could have rebutted the view of those who were
inflicted with the false notion of angels being partners of God was a
statement to the contrary by the angels themselves. Thus there could not
have been a greater testimony than that of Gabriel’s just referred to
testimony about the status of his own self and that of other angels. Let us
now see what Gabriel has testified to in this regard.
The first thing that he has said is that the circle ُ of activity of every
ٌ ْ ٌ َ َ ُ َ ‫وﻣﺎ ﻣﻨﺎ إﻻ‬
angel is prescribed and they have limited access (‫ ﻣﻘﺎم ﻣﻌﻠﻮم‬i
َ َ ).
ِ ِ
His own circle of authority is also limited and he cannot exceed that.
Readers are advised to look up my explanation of the first verse of Sūrah

89. And for each of us is an appointed place and We stand arrayed before
God. And We glorify Him.
Sūrah S@āffāt 54
Fāt@ir. It is thus evident that the status of the angels is nothing but
obedient and submissive workers; they can neither cross their limit nor
interfere in any matter without God’s permission nor can they dare take
the initiative in doing any task. So how foolish are those who regard
these subservient angels to be partners of God and expect that these
angels can do for them whatever they desire; so much so, even if God
intends to punish them, the angels will be able to save them.
The second thing that is stated is that the angels always stand arrayed
َ ُ L َ ُْ ُ ْ ََ َ َ 1 ُ ْ َ َ َ ).
before God and keep glorifying Him (‫ﻤﺴﺒﺤﻮن‬ ‫ﺤﻦ ا‬e ‫ﻧﺎ‬f‫و‬ ِ ‫ﺤﻦ ا ﺼﺎﻓﻮن‬e ‫ﻧﺎ‬f‫و‬ ِ
The first verse of the sūrah also mentions angels standing in rows before
َ ُ L َ ُ
God and I have explained
ًْ this there. The word ‫ﺴﺒﺤﻮن‬u refers to precisely
َ َ
what the words ‫ﺎت ِذﻛﺮا‬#‫ﺎ‬$‫ﻓﺎ‬
ِ ِ refer to in the beginning of the sūrah. In my
opinion, this is an allusion to the prayer of the angels around the throne
of the Almighty which is the greatest manifestation of they being
servants of God. ْ In the beginning of ٌ the
ٌ ْ ْ َ sūrah, this prayer was referred
by the word ‫ ِذﻛﺮ‬and here it is called ‫ﻴﺢ‬Ê‫ﺴ‬Á ِ . The Qur’ān ٌhas alluded to the
ْ َْ
prayer by both these words. The dominant meaning of ‫ﻴﺢ‬Ê‫ﺴ‬Á ِ is to absolve
God from all concepts and ascriptions that are against and beyond His
majesty. By using this word, Gabriel has actually clarified that angels are
busy absolving God of all negative ascriptions what to speak of being
regarded as partners of God.

‫اﷲ‬
َ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ً ْ ِ ‫ﻋﻨﺪﻧﺎ‬
ْ L ‫ذﻛﺮا‬ ََ َ َْ َ ُ ََُ ُ َ ْ َ
ِ ‫ ( ﻟﻜﻨﺎ ِﻋﺒﺎد‬FV) n‫اﻷوﻟ‬
ِ ِ ‫ ( ﻮ أن‬FM) ‫ﻘﻮ ﻮن‬# ‫ن ”ﻧﻮا‬f‫و‬ ِ
َ َ
َ ُ َْ ْ َ َ ُ ََ َ َ َ ْ ُْ
90
( Mb) ‫ﺑﻪ ﻓﺴﻮف “ﻌﻠﻤﻮن‬ ِ ِ ‫ ( ﻓ(ﻔﺮوا‬FX) n‫ﻤﺨﻠﺼ‬ ِ ‫ا‬
The topic brought up in these verses is also discussed in verse 42 of
Sūrah Fāt@ir and I have explained it there. When it would be mentioned
before the Quraysh that the Jews and other nations had rejected their
prophets and messengers they would arrogantly mock at them. They
would say that had the teaching of the earlier people come to them or had
a messenger of God come to them, they would not have adopted this
attitude; they would have followed his teachings and would have proven
themselves to be special servants of God.
It is common practice that if a person does not have something, he
often claims that had he been blessed with that thing he would have
accomplished great feats; however, when he actually receives that thing
more often than not he becomes a worse failure than those before him.

90. And indeed these people used to say: “Had we any teaching of the earlier
generations we would have been among God’s chosen servants.” So they
rejected it; so they shall soon come to know.
Sūrah S@āffāt 55
Today there are many people who haughtily claim that if they are given
the reins of government they will once again show to the world a
glimpse of the caliph ‘Umar’s rule; however, when they are put to test,
they prove to be failures, embezzlers and thieves at the very first step.
Very few people prove worthy of the task and not a single one proves
successful from among those who make such tall claims. The whole
history of the world bears witness to this.
َ ََُْ َْ َ َ ُ َ َ َ say that when the thing these people
The words ‫“ﻌﻠﻤﻮن‬ ‫ﺑﻪ ﻓﺴﻮف‬ِ ِ ‫ﻓ(ﻔﺮوا‬
were desirous of came to them, they rejected it and tried to find various
excuses to deny it; so they will soon know the fate of this denial.

ُ ُ َ ‫ﺟﻨﺪﻧﺎ‬
ََ ُ َ َ ُ ُ َْ ُ َُ ْ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫ﺒﺎدﻧﺎ ا‬
َ َ ََُ َ ْ ََ َ ْ َََ
‫ﻬﻢ‬ ‫ن‬f‫و‬
ِ ( M ) ‫ﻤﻨﺼﻮرون‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻬﻢ‬ ‫إ<ﻬﻢ‬ِ ( M ) n‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‬
ِ ِ ‫ﻟﻌ‬ِ ِ ‫ﻤﺘﻨﺎ‬¹ِ ‫وﻟﻘﺪ ﺳﺒﻘﺖ‬
َ ُ َْ
91
( M%) ‫اﻟﻐﺎ¸ﻮن‬
ِ
This is a reference to the fate that is necessarily faced by the rejecters
of messengers of God, and the purpose is to warn the Quraysh: if they do
not mend their ways then the same established practice of God will
materialize for them which materialized for other rejecters before them.
َُ َ
The word ‫ﻤﺔ‬¹ ِ refers to the established practice of the Almighty which
relates to His messengers and is mentioned at various instances in the
Qur’ān. At one place, it is described thus:

à َ ‫اﷲ‬
ٌ َ ‫ﻗﻮي‬
( - b :;V) ‫ﻋﺰ?ﺰ‬ ُ ُ َ ‫ َ َأﻧﺎ‬ß‫ﻷﻏﻠ‬
َ ‫ إن‬Þ‫ورﺳ‬ َ ْ َ َ ‫اﷲ‬ َ ََ
ُ ‫ﻛﺘﺐ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
The Almighty has ordained: “I and My messengers shall always
prevail.” Indeed, Allah is Mighty and Powerful. (58:20-21)

At another place, the words are:

ُ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ 1 َ َْ ُ َ ‫وا’ﻳﻦ‬ ََ ُ ُ ُ ُ ََ
َ ِ َ ‫رﺳﻠﻨﺎ‬
(; :.b) ‫اﻷﺷﻬﺎد‬ ‫ﻴﺎة ا=<ﻴﺎ و?ﻮم “ﻘﻮم‬¤‫ا‬
ِ •ِ ‫آﻣﻨﻮا‬ Ñ‫ﻨ‬e ‫ِإﻧﺎ‬
And We necessarily help Our messengers and the true believers in
the life of this world and will also help them on the day when the
witnesses rise to testify. (40:51)

I have explained at a number of instances in this exegesis that a nation

which does not profess faith after the Almighty conclusively
communicates the truth to it through His messenger is necessarily

91. And for our special servants sent as messengers this decision of Ours has
been already delivered that they are the ones who shall be worthy of help and
that Our army only is set to be victorious.
Sūrah S@āffāt 56
destroyed. A messenger is the final means of communicating the truth to
his people; for this reason, his status is that of a court of justice for them.
The struggle between good and evil which ensues through him
culminates in his and his companions’ dominance and in the destruction
of his foes. I have explained all the phases of this established practice at
appropriate instances. Here, the difference between a nabī (prophet) and
a rasūl (messenger) should also be kept in mind by the readers that I
have endeavoured toْ explain in this exegesis.
َ ُ َ ُ َُ َ َ ُ َ
The words ‫اﻟﻐﺎ¸ﻮن‬ِ ‫ن ﺟﻨﺪﻧﺎ ﻬﻢ‬f‫و‬ِ imply that a whole army of God’s
angels is at the support of a messenger and his companions, and none can
defeat those which have such support. A messenger and his companions
are indeed faced with trials but in the end victory is theirs.
َ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ََْ َ ْ َُْ َََ
92
( M;) ‫ون‬Ñ‫“ﺒ‬
ِ ‫ﻫﻢ ﻓﺴﻮف‬Ñ‫وأﺑ‬ ِ ( M.) n‫ﺣ‬
ٍ ِ Û‫ﺘﻮل ©ﻨﻬﻢ ﺣ‬ª
These verses are meant to assure the Prophet (sws) and to urge him to
wait and show patience. The implication is that he should ignore the
excesses committed by his adversaries so that God conclusively
communicates the truth to them and they are left with no excuse to deny
it. For a while, the Prophet (sws) should just observe what they are
earning; they too will soon see what they have earned and in what shape
its fate appeared before them.

َ ََ َ َ ُْ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َََ َ َ َ ُ َْ َْ َ َ َ ََ
‫ ( وﺗﻮل‬MM) ‫ﻤﻨﺬر?ﻦ‬
ِ ‫ﺴﺎﺣﺘﻬﻢ ﻓﺴﺎء ﺻﺒﺎح ا‬
ِِ ِ ( MF) ‫ﺴﺘﻌﺠﻠﻮن‬T
ِ ‫ﻓﺈذا ﻧﺰل‬ ِ ‫أﻓﺒﻌﺬاﺑﻨﺎ‬
ِ ِ
َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ ْ َُْ
ْ َ ْ ْ َ ( MV) n‫ ﺣ‬Û‫©ﻨﻬﻢ َﺣ‬
93
( MX) ‫ون‬Ñ‫“ﺒ‬ِ ‫ ﻓﺴﻮف‬Ñ‫وأﺑ‬ ِ ٍ ِ
The verses state that the Prophet (sws) should inform his addressees
that the punishment with which they are being warned of is not
something trivial. These addressees were the ones who were asking him
to hasten this punishment and would say that unless they are shown a
sample of it, they will not profess faith. When this punishment alights in
their houses it will spell doom for those had been warned of it. The
punishment which comes on the addressees of a messenger of God after
they have warned them totally decimates them.
It may be kept in mind that in Arabia the actual time at which caravans

92. So pay no heed to them awhile, and observe them; they shall also soon
observe.
93. Do they want to hasten Our punishment? They should remember that
when it descends upon them in their courtyards, evil will be the morning of
those who have been forewarned. So pay no heed to them awhile, and observe
them; they shall also soon observe.
Sūrah S@āffāt 57
were raided was morning. For this reason, the word ‫ ﺻﺒﺎح‬connotes attack
and raids. The proclamation in the word ‫ وا ﺻﺒﺎﺣﺎ‬also carries this meaning.
After this, the topic of assurance and warning is repeated that was
discussed earlier in verses 174-175: the Prophet (sws) is assured that he
should ignore the misdemeanour of his enemies a little more and wait a
while; the disbelievers are warned that very soon they will see from their
very eyes all that with which they are being informed of.

َ ُ َ َ ْ L َ َ Lَ َ َ ْ ُ
94
( Vb) ‫ﻳﺼﻔﻮن‬
ِ ‫اﻟﻌﺰةِ ©ﻤﺎ‬
ِ ‫ﻚ رب‬j‫ﺳﺒﺤﺎن ر‬
The verse states that exalted is God – the real master of all power and
sovereignty – beyond all things these Idolaters ascribe to Him. He has
informed them of their baseless views and their consequences; if they
now do not desist from these things, they will see their fate.
ََ ٌ َ ََ
َ َ ْ ُ ْ‫ا‬P
95
( V ) n‫ﻤﺮﺳﻠ‬
ِ ‫وﺳﻼم‬
Just as after the mention of the anecdotes of other prophets earlier,
each was given the glad tidings of peace here at the end this glad tiding
is given to the prophet Muh@ammad (sws). He is informed that the
established practice of God which has materialized for all His
messengers stands true for him as well; peace is for all messengers of
God; destruction for all their enemies.

َ ْ ‫رب‬
َ َ ‫اﻟﻌﺎ‬ ُ ْ ْ
L َ ‫ﻤﺪ ﷲ‬¤‫وا‬
96
( V ) n‫ﻤ‬ِ ِ ِ َ َ
God alone is worthy of being thanked and praised. Hence in this
struggle between the truth and falsehood He will definitely make the
truth prevail and defeat falsehood. He is the Lord of the universe; it is the
requisite of this state of His that justice prevail in this world as well as in
that to come. This is the requisite of His providence and it is on this basis
that He is worthy of gratitude and praise in this world and in the next
one.
َْ َ
With
َ ْ these lines, the tafsīr of this sūrah comes to its completion. ‫ﻤﺪ‬¤‫ﻓﺎ‬
َ َ L َ
ُ n‫ﷲ رب اﻟﻌﺎ ِﻤ‬
ِ ِ (so gratitude be to the Lord of the worlds)
Rah@mānābād
29th April 1975
_______________

94. Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of Glory, above their imputations!
95. And peace be on the messengers
96. And God alone is worthy of gratitude, Lord of the universe!